Greece receives first upgraded S-70 Helicopter from US

On Thursday, Greece’s Navy marked the delivery of the first maintained S-70 helicopter from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin Rotary, Mission Systems and Aeroservices.

The inclusion of the 11 Aegean Hawk S-70 helicopters of the Navy in the program was made possible under the intergovernmental agreement between Greece and the US.

The deal allowed Greek aeronautics and aircraft maintenance company Aeroservices to participate in the program as the only certified repair company for this type of Sikorsky helicopters in Europe.

"It’s incredibly exciting to get this Hellenic Navy helicopter back in the air, and I want to congratulate the whole team of professionals at Aeroservices for their achievement," said US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt at the delivery ceremony.

"For 200 years, the United States and Greece have stood shoulder-to-shoulder to promote peace and stability in this region," he added.

The event was attended by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros and the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis.

“The work being done here at Aeroservices, on behalf of the Hellenic Navy, is another great example of the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program delivering results for the Hellenic Armed Forces. The Hellenic Navy’s S-70B sustainment and upgrade programs exemplify the strong cooperation between the US and Hellenic Navies.

"Our expanded defence cooperation benefits both of our countries, deepens our bilateral alliance, strengthens NATO, and reinforces transatlantic security and stability.  We are poised now to elevate our relationship to even greater heights as President Biden has committed, which is why both our governments, at the highest level, are committed now to extending the duration and reach of our MDCA agreement.

"The sky is the limit for what our nations can accomplish together, and as today’s delivery ceremony demonstrates, our defense partnership is already working hand-in-hand with our trade and investment relationship, building a knowledge base in Greece that will yield benefits for decades to come," Pyatt concluded.

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