US approves Hellenic F-16 fleet upgrades
Hellenic Air Force (HAF) F-16V upgrades will deliver a significant increase in capability for the HAF combat aircraft fleet at a fraction of the cost of procuring new aircraft. (Image: Lockheed Martin)
An FMS has been approved by the US State Department for F-16 support and equipment to be delivered to Greece.
The US State Department has approved a possible sale of F-16 sustainment materiel, services and related equipment to Greece.
The contract has an estimated value of $270 million.
The contract includes engineering, technical, and logistics support services for a range F-16 support programmes including aircraft structural integrity, aircrew training device and reconnaissance pods support.
Software support has also been contracted for information distribution systems, joint mission planning software and other classified and unclassified aircraft software.
This sale will provide agile logistics support to Greece’s F-16 programme, encompassing aspects of aircrew training and aircraft maintenance.
The ability to provide this level of support to the F-16 programme will increase its interoperability with NATO forces and enhance its ability to provide security of its borders.
Greece views this modernisation programme as crucial to maintaining national security, an issue which has been emphasised by the tense situation in July-August 2020 with Turkey, during which both nations put their fleets on high alert.
Relations between the states have since normalised and the leaders of the states pledged to maintain a dialogue during a NATO summit in June 2021.
The principal contractors for this proposed sale are L3/Harris, Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Atec.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![First GCAP contract marks milestone for Edgewing, while UK waits on further funding]()
First GCAP contract marks milestone for Edgewing, while UK waits on further funding
The design and development contract is set to run until the end of June and will now enable the partnership to drive the programme forward as it targets its 2027 demonstrator date.
-
![UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns]()
UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
-
![Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition]()
Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
-
![March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics]()
March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
-
![Franco-German alliance aims to resolve FCAS woes by end of April as dispute rolls on]()
Franco-German alliance aims to resolve FCAS woes by end of April as dispute rolls on
The disagreement between French-German industry continues as both governments work to keep the programme alive and on track to develop and deliver a sixth-generation fighter jet.
