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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Greece Could Soon Have the F-35 Stealth Fighter

The family of countries that operate the F-35 Lighting II continues to grow, and with it, the reputation of the most advanced fighter jet to take to the skies. 

Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team pilot and commander performs a high-speed pass in an F-35A Lightning II during the Arctic Lightning Airshow July 13, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The aerial demonstration consists of 16 maneuvers that fully showcase the capabilities of the F-35A Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexander Cook)
Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team pilot and commander performs a high-speed pass in an F-35A Lightning II during the Arctic Lightning Airshow July 13, 2019, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The aerial demonstration consists of 16 maneuvers that fully showcase the capabilities of the F-35A Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexander Cook)

Greece is getting closer to becoming the next country that gets the world’s most advanced fighter jet. Athens is in the final stages of buying dozens of F-35 Lighting II stealth fighter jets.

Greek F-35 Fighter Jets 

Over the past week, Congressional leaders approved Greece’s request to initially buy 20 F-35A Lighting II stealth fighter jets with the option to buy 20 more for a total of 40 aircraft. The 40 aircraft will equip two squadrons. 

Now, the State Department has the notification, and the Biden administration will likely send the finalized version back to Congress in the next few days for final approval. At that point, the State Department will respond to Athens with a detailed proposal that will include costs, timeline, training, weapon systems, and maintenance, among other details. After that, the two countries will sign an official contract, and the production and delivery process will begin in earnest. 

Greece expects to receive the first F-35A Lighting II fighter jets in 2028. However, because of the big demand for the stealth fighter jet, Greece won’t receive its full order until well into the 2030s. 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced Greece’s desire to procure the F-35 Lighting II last year during a NATO summit in Spain. 

It may be seen that Greece took Turkey’s spot on the F-35 program. Ankara lost its spot in the F-35 program after it bought the Russian S-400 air defense system. 

Although both NATO members, Greece and Turkey share a rivalry that goes back more than 1,000 years. In recent years, Turkey has become increasingly aggressive toward Greece and NATO. In other issues Ankara has weaponized immigration, sending and threatening to send hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants into Europe. Moreover, Turkey has come increasingly closer to Russia, China, and Iran. 

The reelection of President Tayyip Erdogan is likely to continue the anti-Western pivot of Turkey with unseen consequences for the transatlantic alliance and U.S.-Turkish relations. 

An Expensive but Unique Fighter Jet 

The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced fighter jet in the skies today. There are three versions of the aircraft: The F-35A is the standard take-off version, the F-35B is the short-take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) iteration, and the F-35C is the aircraft carrier version. 

In the F-35 Lighting II, the Pentagon sought to incorporate the roles of several different aircraft, thus streamlining maintenance and costs. The upfront cost has been immense—approximately $1.7 trillion—but the F-35 Lighting II is replacing several different aircraft and taking up their mission sets. 

The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced fighter jet in the skies today. Indeed, the stealth fighter jet is versatile and can complete several mission sets, including Strategic Attack, Close Air Support, Air Superiority, Electronic Warfare, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), and Suppression Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Destruction Enemy Air Defense (DEAD). 

The family of countries that operate the F-35 Lighting II continues to grow, and with it, the reputation of the most advanced fighter jet to take to the skies. 

A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business InsiderSandboxx, and SOFREP.

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1945’s Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist with specialized expertise in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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