American UAVs to stay in Larissa for another year

Athens has extended the agreement with Washington to station American MQ-9 UAVs at the Larissa Air Base (110th Fighter Wing) for another year until July 2025.

The UAVs have been stationed in Larissa for the last five years and since fall of of 2022, have been there on a permanent basis. The extension is seen as a clear indication of the continued importance the US attaches to a base in Greece, for surveillance missions that essentially cover the whole of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The MQ-9s have a range of about 1,850 kilometers.

The UAVs, obviously, also accompany the dozens of personnel who operate and support them.

It is worth noting that discussions had been held in the past between Athens and Washington regarding the possibility of the Hellenic Air Force initially leasing and then acquiring some of the MQ-9s stationed at Larissa. However, these plans have been shelved.