Greek armed forces to get new missiles, upgrade systems
Besides the agreement with the French government to acquire three frigates, with an option for a fourth, and six more Rafale fighter jets, raising the total to 24, Greece will spend considerable sums to acquire missiles and ammunition, lease drones and upgrade other air and naval weapons systems, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday.
The missiles and shells will cost about 550 million euros and will be used to upgrade the Hellenic Army Air Force’s Apache AH-64A helicopters, the Air Force’s fighter jets and Navy gunboats.
Greece will also lease two more Heron-1 unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel, which, added to the two already in its possession, will help patrol the country’s Aegean waters.
The armed forces will also upgrade training rotor aircraft and the diesel engines of its Meko-class frigates.
