Greece agrees up to $4 billion U.S. arms deal, sources say
LMT•Greece has agreed to spend up to $4 billion upgrading F-16 fighter jets and buying advanced missiles from the United States, two senior sources said. The cost will be spread over several years, a senior foreign ministry official said.
1. Arms procurement plan
The agreement covers advanced missiles and bombs for F-16 Viper and F-35 fighter jets and Black Hawk helicopters, as well as upgrading older F-16s to the Viper version, a senior defence ministry official said. The official said most of the purchases are already included in the government's multiyear defence plan and will not add pressure to the country's finances.
2. Modernization spending
Greece had already planned to spend about €28 billion by 2036 on U.S.-made F-35 jets and helicopters and on the Achilles Shield air and missile defense system. Greece agreed in 2024 to buy 20 F-35 jets and 35 Black Hawk helicopters, and is upgrading about 82 F-16s to Vipers while seeking to upgrade 37 more Block 50 aircraft at a cost of about $1 billion.
3. Defense context
The purchases are part of Greece's effort to modernize its armed forces as it emerges from the 2009–18 debt crisis. Greece spends nearly 3.5% of its gross domestic product on defense, a higher proportion than many other NATO countries, due to its long-standing dispute with Turkey.
