News is emerging of the immediate arrival and inclusion of six F-35 fighters in the arsenal of the Greek Air Force. The most important thing, however, is that six of the F-35s that “will be painted in blue and white” are the ones that were originally for Turkey.
More specifically, according to the newspaper Estia, during the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Greece, the supply of 20 F-35s was discussed and agreed, six of which will be purchased in 2022 and will be delivered together with the first six Rafale fighter jets from France.
According to Estia, the U.S. is selling to Greece the F-35s ordered by Turkey with facilitations and with “Goverment to Goverment” processes.
It seems that the purchase and the recent activation of the S-400 from Ankara has turned the tables to favour Greece.
The U.S. reaction is not limited to the delivery of F-35s to Greece but also to the possibility for them to move the NATO nuclear İncirlik base in Turkey to Crete.
The issue is already being officially discussed by the U.S. Senate. The debate will resume as the Greece-U.S. defense agreement expires in a few days, and the government will propose to Parliament its five-year extension.
