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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Why Does Greece Have So Many Fighter Jets?

Greece F-16
Greece F-16 fighter jet. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Key Points and Summary: Greece has 227 fighter jets in its aviation arsenal for one reason: tensions with fellow NATO member Turkey. And the fleet is poised to get better thanks to F-35 fighters. 

-The long-standing Greco-Turkish rivalry, centered on disputes over the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, continues to shape their military postures.

-While Turkey’s Air Force boasts a larger fleet, Greece is making a qualitative leap with the acquisition of 20 F-35s, with an option for 20 more.

-This fifth-generation fighter could decisively shift the balance of air power in favor of Athens.

-Turkey, ousted from the F-35 program due to its purchase of Russian S-400 systems, is left to rely on F-16 upgrades and the nascent TAI TF Kaan fighter.

-Greece’s investment underscores the persistent tensions between these NATO allies.

How Greece’s F-35 Fighter Acquisition Could Shift the Balance with Turkey

Greece’s and Turkey’s fighter fleets are interesting proxy metrics for measuring tension. And while the Turkish Air Force is significantly larger than their Greek counterpart, the Hellenic Air Force is poised to take a qualitative leap ahead.

The Greco-Turkish rivalry has shaped the defense policies of both nations for many years. Both counties share a long and complex history marred by disputes over territorial sovereignty, particularly in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.

These disputes are myriad and include disagreements over maritime boundaries, airspace, and territorial disputes.

While Greece and Turkey became members of NATO in 1952, their shared membership in that alliance has not resolved these conflicts, which continue to influence their defense priorities today.

Both the Greek and Turkish Air Forces are illustrative of the latent geopolitical tension between the two countries.

Excluding the United States, the Hellenic and Turkish Air Forces both number in the top five NATO countries by fleet size.

Cold War-era

During the Cold War, Greek-Turkish NATO membership aimed partly to unify the two against a common Soviet threat.

However, membership in the NATO alliance did little to quell existing tensions between the two countries.

On occasion, Greco-Turkish disputes flared even after NATO membership, as both countries attempted to secure their national interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In 1974, Turkey invaded the island of Cyprus following a coup backed by Athens. This did nothing to improve relations between the two countries but also made blatantly obvious NATO’s inherent limitations to resolve conflicts within the alliance.

Fighter Jet Fleets: a Proxy for Measuring Tension

Fast forward to today, and relations between the two countries have stabilized, though the root causes of their points of dispute remain. One metric to measure latent instability in the relationship is the sizes of both country’s fighter jet fleets. 

Both countries have invested heavily in upgrading and modernizing their air forces in recognition of the outsized role military aviation would have in a potential conflict between the two.

The Hellenic Air Force operates a significant number of American F-16s, as well as French Dassault Mirage and Rafale jets.

F-35 in Greece

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 495th Fighter Squadron from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, lands for the first time at Souda Air Base, Greece, July 7, 2022. The fifth-generation aircraft will be participating in exercise Poseidon’s Rage, in an effort to bolster U.S.-Hellenic readiness and interoperability. (U.S. Air Force Photo By Tech. Sgt. Rachel Maxwell)

Turkey, on the other hand, also operates over 100 F-16s, represented by several variants, and like Greece, maintains a low double-digits fleet of F-4 Phantom fighters but also has Eurofighter Typhoons on order.

In terms of total fleet numbers, the Turkish Air Force is significantly larger than their Greek counterpart. However, Athens is poised to take a decisive lead in terms of air power.

In July of last year, Athens signed a deal with the United States to purchase 20 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, with the option to acquire 20 more as part of a $8.6 billion deal.

Given the immense advantage fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 hold over their predecessors, the Hellenic Air Force acquisition is significant.

Trouble within NATO

Though Turkey is a NATO member, its relationship with the alliance is rather strained. The United States ejected Ankara from the F-35 project following Turkey’s purchase of advanced S-400 air defense systems from Russia in 2020, despite strenuous objections from the United States. 

Greece F-16

Greek Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16DJ Fighting Falcon taking off at Chania

Turkey does have an indigenous fifth-generation fighter, the TAI TF Kaan, though only a single prototype of that jet exists. And given the engineering and manufacturing challenges inherent in fielding future-generation aircraft, it remains to be seen if that fighter design can compete against more mature designs like the F-35.

The Hellenic Air Force’s investment in the F-35 platform is deeply rooted in its historical and ongoing rivalry with Turkey. Although both countries are NATO members, their conflict over territory persists and shapes their military postures to this day. And while Turkey currently holds an edge over Greece’s flying branch, Greek-flown F-35s may tip the balance of airpower in favor of Athens.

About the Author: Caleb Larson 

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.

Written By

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war's civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. George Pavlou

    January 19, 2025 at 9:54 pm

    Hello thank you for the article.
    One observation and a comment:
    The Euro fighter you mention that Turkey ordered has not approved due to German concerns. Rightfully so.
    Also the Greek air force has upgraded already 30 F16s to Viper version. I believe Turkey’s F16s are all older versions.
    Thank you

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