Greece has agreed to spend up to $4 billion on US weapons and additional F-16 upgrades. Two senior Greek officials described the package following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s October 7 visit to Athens.
The reported agreement combines upgrades for older fighters with weapons for aircraft Greece already operates or plans to acquire.
Meanwhile, Greece’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Rubio and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis launched their sixth bilateral Strategic Dialogue. Gerapetritis highlighted the F-16 and F-35 programs during their meeting, linking both to long-term defense cooperation.
More F-16 upgrades and aircraft weapons
A senior Defense Ministry official told Reuters the agreement covers advanced missiles and bombs, alongside further F-16 upgrades. The official identified F-16 Vipers, F-35 fighters, and Black Hawk helicopters among the aircraft covered by the weapons procurement.
Greece already has a program to upgrade approximately 82 F-16s to the Viper configuration. Additionally, Athens wants to upgrade 37 older Block 50 fighters at an estimated cost of $1 billion.
The officials also addressed the package’s budget implications. The defense official said existing multiyear plans already cover most purchases and predicted no additional pressure on public finances. A senior Foreign Ministry official confirmed the account and said Greece would spread costs across several years.
Earlier F-35 and Black Hawk purchases provide context
Separately, Greece committed to purchasing 20 F-35 fighters in July 2024 through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales program. That agreement also included an option for 20 additional aircraft. The option does not constitute a firm purchase of those extra fighters.
The Hellenic Air Force will acquire 20 F-35 fighter jets at an estimated cost of €3.47 billion, with an option to purchase 20 more under a broader $8.6 billion defense package, a sale approved by the US State Department in January 2024.
An estimated sixty percent of the work under Greece’s contract for the F-35 is done at Fort Worth, Texas, where the Greek Chief received extensive briefings.
Greece also signed an agreement for 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters in April 2024. Subsequently, the US government awarded Sikorsky the contract in October that year. Beyond the helicopters, that contract included personnel training, training equipment, and an initial provisioning package for the Greek Army.
Those earlier commitments distinguish aircraft purchases from the weapons and upgrades now under discussion. Neither manufacturer announcement establishes the terms of the newly reported $4 billion package.
Rubio visit puts defense cooperation in focus
During Wednesday’s talks, Gerapetritis described the bilateral Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement as the foundation of the countries’ defense relationship. He also emphasized Souda and Alexandroupolis as important locations for America’s regional strategic presence.
Furthermore, the Greek minister connected aircraft modernization with closer military cooperation between Athens and Washington. His published remarks discussed both the ongoing Viper upgrades and Greece’s planned introduction of F-35 fighters.
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