International Greece to boost military amid tensions with neighbor Turkey

[Eliar]

Greece to boost military amid tensions with neighbor Turkey

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece will bolster its military with new arms, more personnel and by developing the country’s defense industry, the government said Monday, as a tense standoff with neighboring Turkey has led to concerns of open conflict between the two NATO allies.

apnews.com

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece will bolster its military with new arms, more personnel and by developing the country's defense industry, the government said Monday, as a tense standoff with neighboring Turkey has led to concerns of open conflict between the two NATO allies.

Ankara is facing off against Greece and Cyprus over oil and gas exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air forces to assert their competing claims.

"The Turkish leadership is unleashing, on a near daily basis, threats of war and makes provocative statements against Greece," Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said. "We respond with political, diplomatic and operational readiness, determined to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereign rights."

Welp I did not really expect to see this but according to the latest from local news Greece, that is my country, is setting aside at least 10 billion Euros for what will be the largest defense spending of the last 20 years.

And owning to the unprecedented US political incoherency and German waffling we are about to buy French all the way down including 18 Rafales!

Why is that important?

It will be the first time in 40 years we buy planes from anyone but the US.

Hey @Rufus Shinra ! We are joining the duck club!

 

[Lerticus]

Greek Stronk! Protect all clay from kebab!

 

[Eliar]

Greek Stronk! Protect all clay from kebab!

Well given how the particular country seems to have gotten mad and is currently

Let's see here...

Invading n genociding Kurds in Iraq, keeps the Syrian Civil War going n genociding the Kurds there as well, sent thousands of former ISIL mercs in Lybia for a spot o loot,rape n murder and managed to piss off every single neighbor including Egypt I believe we should be a wee bit concerned.

 

[Alias]

Greek Stronk! Protect all clay from kebab!

I know kebab is from that meme, but it's still a slur so don't use it here in reference to a nation, people or person. First and final warning about this just to let everybody know.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

Greece to boost military amid tensions with neighbor Turkey

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece will bolster its military with new arms, more personnel and by developing the country’s defense industry, the government said Monday, as a tense standoff with neighboring Turkey has led to concerns of open conflict between the two NATO allies.

apnews.com

Welp I did not really expect to see this but according to the latest from local news Greece, that is my country, is setting aside at least 10 billion Euros for what will be the largest defense spending of the last 20 years.

And owning to the unprecedented US political incoherency and German waffling we are about to buy French all the way down including 18 Rafales!

Why is that important?

It will be the first time in 40 years we buy planes from anyone but the US.

Hey @Rufus Shinra ! We are joining the duck club!

Please send me a source about the Rafale stuff, because this would be glorious!

EDIT: heh, I'm seeing confirmations that discussions are taking place, which is definitely awesome, and I hope they'll be concluded fast.

France and Greece Discussing Sale of Frigates, Rafale Jets

 

[t-dugong]

Good for Greece.

*Dugong salutes doggo*

 

[Rufus Shinra]

Erdogan will be pissed if the contract goes to fruition. Turkey's most modern aircraft are old F-16 and his largest ships are refits of shitty frigates from the Seventies, while we'd be selling Athens top of the line jets and stealth ships with anti-balistic capability plus stealth cruise missiles for land attack. That changes the relations very quickly to say the least. But let's wait until a contract is signed, plus, any frigate would be delivered in 2024, not before.

 

[Eliar]

Erdogan will be pissed if the contract goes to fruition. Turkey's most modern aircraft are old F-16 and his largest ships are refits of shitty frigates from the Seventies, while we'd be selling Athens top of the line jets and stealth ships with anti-balistic capability plus stealth cruise missiles for land attack. That changes the relations very quickly to say the least. But let's wait until a contract is signed, plus, any frigate would be delivered in 2024, not before.

The biggest worry here was the acquisition from Turkey of the F-35 which fortunately stalled due to Erdos madness being too great to shove under the rug and Turkey having F16s of a higher Block.

Greece, for various reasons, is unable to board the F-35 train in any reasonable timetable and there is always the danger of the US unblocking the turkish ones.

So the Raphale is a great solution.

Local articles say that observers and pilots were very impressed with it during the joint manuevers last week between Greece,France and other countries in which the De Gaul carrier took part

There are rumors that the purchase will be announced this weekend.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

The biggest worry here was the acquisition from Turkey of the F-35 which fortunately stalled due to Erdos madness being too great to shove under the rug and Turkey having F16s of a higher Block.

Greece, for various reasons, is unable to board the F-35 train in any reasonable timetable and there is always the danger of the US unblocking the turkish ones.

So the Raphale is a great solution.

Local articles say that observers and pilots were very impressed with it during the joint manuevers last week between Greece,France and other countries in which the De Gaul carrier took part

There are rumors that the purchase will be announced this weekend.

Let's hope so. Though, for the F-35, don't worry that much, it's far from being operational or reliable, even if Turkey had some.

 

[Mr Wumbo]

I didn't have 'Third Greco-Turkish war" on my card but ok.

 

[Eliar]

Greece goes arms shopping as Turkey tension rises

France set to benefit from Athens’ plans to boost military spending.

www.politico.eu

os Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images

Voiced by Amazon Polly
ATHENS — Greece is getting out the credit card and going on a big military spending spree as it faces growing tensions with Turkey.
Despite the deep recession caused by the coronavirus crisis and a rising budget deficit, Athens has decided it's time to act. Fighter jets, frigates, torpedoes and helicopters are all on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' shopping list.

France, which has given Athens political and military backing in its confrontation with Ankara, will be a big beneficiary of the procurement push. A deal between the two countries was on the agenda when Mitsotakis met French President Emmanuel Macron in Corsica ahead of a summit of Mediterranean leaders on Thursday.

....


Athens and Paris are in the final stages of negotiating a deal that is expected to lead to the purchase of around 18 Rafale fighter jets. The package is also expected to include the purchase of missiles and the maintenance of Greece's Mirage jet fighters.

Importantly for Greece, officials say they expect the deal will be followed by agreement on mutual defense assistance if either country is involved in a military confrontation.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

The Greek budget deficit is expected to slide to 5 percent of GDP, as the pandemic has blown large holes in the state budget.

Dang, that would make Greece's budget one of the most balanced on the entire planet, considering the pandemic.

 

[Eliar]

Dang, that would make Greece's budget one of the most balanced on the entire planet, considering the pandemic.

We had a primary suplus for years on end due to the peculiar state we are in.

 

[t-dugong]

We had a primary suplus for years on end due to the peculiar state we are in.

Ah, cool. Forgive my cluelessness but what primary surplus, please?

 

[Eliar]

Ah, cool. Forgive my cluelessness but what primary surplus, please?

Not deficit something? I dont know either that is how the News called it n was a big deal

 

[Alias]

Greek Jan-June primary budget surplus at 382 mln euros, beats target

Greece's central government achieved a primary budget surplus of 382 million euros ($430.44 million) in the first half of the year, well above its target, thanks to higher revenues, finance ministry data showed on Monday.

www.reuters.com

Primary budget surplus.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

As I've always said, Egy... err, Qat..., no that isn't it, Ind... ah, no, there it is! As I've always said, Greece is a key partner who has always shown a commitment to defend human ri... err, budgetary rigor and fiscal responsibility, and it is only normal that they come to their friends for support in these troubled times.

Sorry, I've mixed a bit my notes on who's currently the bestest best country ever with whom we have always had the best privileged relations.

 

[Eliar]

Greece and the Rafale - Press kits

Saint-Cloud, France, September 12, 2020 – Greece announced today its intention to acquire 18 Rafales to equip its air force. © Dassault Aviation - C. Cosmao

www.dassault-aviation.com

Saint-Cloud, France, September 12, 2020 – Greece announced today its intention to acquire 18 Rafales to equip its air force.

This announcement illustrates the strength of the partnership that has linked the Greek Air Force and Dassault Aviation for more than 45 years, and demonstrates the enduring strategic relationship between Greece and France.

Greece ordered 40 Mirage F1 from Dassault Aviation in 1974, then 40 Mirage 2000 in 1985 and finally 15 Mirage 2000-5 in the year 2000; this latest contract also includes the modernization of 10 Mirage 2000 to the 2000-5 standard with a large contribution from Greek industry.

Heheheheh Canards Get!

 

[Rufus Shinra]

Greece and the Rafale - Press kits

Saint-Cloud, France, September 12, 2020 – Greece announced today its intention to acquire 18 Rafales to equip its air force. © Dassault Aviation - C. Cosmao

www.dassault-aviation.com

Heheheheh Canards Get!

QUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

 

[Eliar]

QUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

 

[Rufus Shinra]

Heh heh. Also, according to unconfirmed rumours, we might lend you the frigates Alsace and Lorraine, currently under final phases of construction. These are Aquitaine class frigates improved over the earlier version of the class, with massive ASW capabilities and now reinforced anti-air performance. If this is confirmed, this would be a pretty strong boost to the Hellenic Navy bridging the current situation with the delivery of the purpose-built FDI frigates for Greece.

 

[Eliar]

Heh heh. Also, according to unconfirmed rumours, we might lend you the frigates Alsace and Lorraine, currently under final phases of construction. These are Aquitaine class frigates improved over the earlier version of the class, with massive ASW capabilities and now reinforced anti-air performance. If this is confirmed, this would be a pretty strong boost to the Hellenic Navy bridging the current situation with the delivery of the purpose-built FDI frigates for Greece.

Sexah ship is sexy!

But yes at least some of the goodies we get from you will either be in the slightly used or on loan till we get the product category.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

Sexah ship is sexy!

But yes at least some of the goodies we get from you will either be in the slightly used or on loan till we get the product category.

As long as your pilots can get kills on Lockheed-Martin products with them, everyone will be happy (except for Erdogan and Doc, but who cares). Good thing is that even older planes on loan from our Air Force will still be top-of-the-line as the updates to the plane are pretty easy to do so you'll get to field Meteor on the duckies, which will put them light-years ahead of anything Turkey has. The main bottleneck will be pilot training, I suppose.

 

[Diablo21]

As long as your pilots can get kills on Lockheed-Martin products with them, everyone will be happy (except for Erdogan and Doc, but who cares). Good thing is that even older planes on loan from our Air Force will still be top-of-the-line as the updates to the plane are pretty easy to do so you'll get to field Meteor on the duckies, which will put them light-years ahead of anything Turkey has. The main bottleneck will be pilot training, I suppose.

As long as nothing causes forces on both sides to put theory into practice. Turkey on paper does have more forces overall, and quantity does have a quality of it's own. With everything else happening, a shooting war in the eastern Med is the last thing that we need.

 

[Rufus Shinra]

As long as nothing causes forces on both sides to put theory into practice. Turkey on paper does have more forces overall, and quantity does have a quality of it's own. With everything else happening, a shooting war in the eastern Med is the last thing that we need.

The difference in quantity isn't nearly enough to compensate the qualitative difference we're talking about here, with the Turkish aircraft being 20 years out of date. This goes double if the frigates are actually loaned from next year onwards. FFS, the orders of battle are almost identical already (before these sales) anyway, I checked right now.

Greece: 43 Mirage 2000 and 154 F-16 on Blocks 30 to 52.
Turkey: 48 F-4 (lol) and 234 F-16 on same Blocks.