Greece opens its wallet and sends a message to Turkey: another $4 billion for arms

Greece has signed a US arms deal worth up to $4 billion, including the upgrade of F-16 jets and the purchase of advanced munitions. The agreement, reported by Reuters, is part of the "Agenda 2030" rearmament program and the "Achilles Shield" defense system. The backdrop: the long-standing rivalry with Turkey and the growing tension with Ankara.

Greece is expanding its rearmament program with a US arms deal worth up to $4 billion. According to a Reuters report, the agreement includes upgrading additional F-16 jets to the Viper configuration, and purchasing advanced missiles and bombs for the F-16 Viper, future F-35s, and Black Hawk helicopters. A senior Greek Defense Ministry official said most of the purchases are already integrated into the multi-year security plan. The deal comes a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Athens. Greece is in the midst of a broad air force modernization program, including upgrading 82 F-16s to the Viper configuration and a request to upgrade 37 additional Block 50 jets. Concurrently, the purchase of 20 F-35s and 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters was agreed in 2024. The move is part of the "Agenda 2030" program and the "Achilles Shield" defense system, which combines American, Israeli, and French capabilities. The backdrop: the long-standing rivalry with Turkey, with Greece spending nearly 3.5% of its GDP on defense.