Greece to boost arms with 18 new French Rafale jets
Greece’s prime minister outlined plans Saturday to upgrade the country’s defense capabilities, including purchasing new fighter planes, frigates, helicopters and weapons systems amid heightened tensions with Turkey over rights to resources in the eastern Mediterranean, France24 reported.
In an annual state of the economy speech, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would obtain 18 new French-made Rafale fighter planes to replace its aging Mirage 2000 fighters, buy four navy helicopters and four new frigates and was refurbishing another four frigates.
The armed forces will obtain new anti-tank weapons, new torpedoes and new guided missiles, as well as hire 15,000 more people over the next five years, he said.
The source reminds that Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air force units to assert the countries’ competing claims over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and the European island nation of Cyprus claim exclusive economic rights.
Greece and Turkey have conducted rival naval exercises amid their standoff. On Friday, Turkey announced live-fire exercises starting Saturday and running through Monday between its southern coast and northern Cyprus.