F-35A Lightning II sale to Greece approved

The Elleniki Polemiki Aeroporia (EPA, Hellenic Air Force) is about the get an enormous boost. On 26 January 2024, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the US Congress of a possible sale of 40 F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 8.6 billion.

This Foreign Military Sale (FMS) was approved by the US State Department and it covers the sale of almost twice the number of F-35s that was announced earlier.

Back in January 2020, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos revealed Greece’s interest in the acquisition of 24 F-35A fighters. In November 2020, Scramble Magazine first reported that the Greek Department of Defence sent an official Letter of Request (LOR) to the US Government requesting the participation of the Hellenic Air Force in the F-35A programme.

Ironically, the DSCA also approved the sale to Türkiye of 40 new F-16 Block 70 aircraft and the upgrade of 79 existing F-16 aircraft to V-Configuration.

When the first F-35A deliveries are scheduled to take place, has not been revealed yet.

Credit photo (just illustrative): Dino van Doorn (Scramble Archive)