The Prime Minister’s announcement for the next step on the road regarding the acquisition of F-35s by the Air Force (PA) essentially includes the timetable. The officials of GEA will have to write and send a letter of request (Letter of Request) for offer and acceptance (Letter of Offer and Acceptance) to the American authorities, something that was practically announced by Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
This is followed by a period of discussions with “Lockheed Martin” and, of course, the Pentagon, which can not last less than a year and a half, but can be extended to two and a half. In any case, decisions will be made by the next government.
Based on the procedures required in between, mainly for the training of PA operators. in the new aircraft, but also the development of the necessary infrastructure in one of the air bases of Larissa, Souda or Araxos, another five years will pass. Therefore, based on the financial planning, the two years 2028-2030 should be considered the period during which the first F-35s will land on Greek territory. The Prime Minister’s report was not, of course, pretentious, as Mr. Mitsotakis had in mind the timetable, but also the pressures for the Turks to return to the F-35 program, but also to obtain upgraded F-16s, something in which, after all, referred to in his speech to Congress.
The very specific schedules are not connected with the will of the Greek government, but also with the annual planning of “Lokhid”. Three years after the last time there was a serious discussion about the accession of the PA. in the F-35, the fifth generation fighter began to attract the interest of many countries. Belgium (34), Switzerland (36), Israel (25), Finland (64), Canada (84), Japan (102) and South Korea (80) entered the process of procuring new or strengthening existing orders. ).
It is also discussing the purchase of 50 F-35s and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Lockheed’s annual production line currently stands at 150 aircraft, while under optimal conditions it can reach 160. And it should be borne in mind that the US Armed Forces has the lead in orders.
While in the recent past they allowed the prioritization of 4-6 aircraft per year for the needs of the international market, after the war in Ukraine this practice stopped. In terms of numbers, it is clear that Greece is oriented towards a squadron of 18-24 aircraft.
