Contacts over C-130Js, F-16 upgrades, Blackhawks

The meeting in Athens on Friday between representatives of US company Lockheed Martin with the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Dimosthenis Grigoriadis will, Kathimerini understands, have a specific agenda, including a number of armament programs in which Greece has expressed interest.

More specifically, the US mission aims to revive discussions on the C-130J transport planes. Earlier in the week, the Lockheed Martin team visited Elefsina Air Base, where it was informed about the nature of the missions undertaken by the Greek C-130s and the support problems facing the Air Force’s transport fleet. Discussions are also expected regarding F-16 fighter jets as the Air Force wants to upgrade the 38 Block 50s to Viper level rather than the intermediate Block 50M solution.

The team also had a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the supply of Blackhawk helicopters.