Greece has officially signed the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) with the United States for the acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets.
“Greece is building powerful armed forces by purchasing the most modern combat aircraft in the world,” Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias said, as reported by state-owned public media ERT News.
The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) approved the purchase on July 16, 2024. The deal includes 20 F-35 fighter jets, expected to be delivered from 2028. By 2030, the jets will be stationed at the Andravida Air Base, which houses the Hellenic Air Force 117th Combat Wing.
The total cost of the aircraft reaches $3.47 billion. This sum covers not only the aircraft themselves but also the training of flight engineers in the United States, the establishment of simulators in Andravida, and initial technical support.
Athens has the option to order another 20 F-35s, with plans to exercise this option after 2030.
Tensions within NATO over fighter procurement
The United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) authorized the sale of F-35A fighters to Greece on January 26, 2024. On the same day, Turkey was allowed to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper fighters.
These sales were approved after Turkey met a political condition set by the US, which involved allowing Sweden to join NATO. In May 2022, Sweden submitted a request to become a member of NATO. Initially, Turkey, a NATO member, did not give its support and accused Sweden of backing anti-Turkish Kurdish groups and political dissidents. However, on January 23, 2024, the Turkish parliament finally approved Sweden’s request to join NATO.