Lockheed Martin To Upgrade Greek F-16 Fighter Jets In $2.4Billion Deal

[Zarvan]

Greek-F16 with Zeus on tail: image via Hellenic media

Lockheed Martin announced that it will launch the upgrade of 85 Greek F16 fighter jets to the Block 70/72 Viper configuration next Monday.

While the value of the contract was not mentioned, an earlier US DoD announcement of a foreign military sale approval of F-16 upgrade to Greece had quoted a figure of US$ 2.404 billion.

The company’s VP Business Development Initiatives in Europe Dennys Plessas said during a press conference yesterday in Athens that “a great part of the upgrade will take place in Greece.”

The first two years will be spent on engineering for the prototype and the registration of the systems. The installation on Greek fighter jets will take place during the third year of the program, and the Hellenic Airforce pilots will be trained in the fourth year. The training is anticipated to be brief, as he said, because of the expertise of Greek fighter pilots.

The upgrade of the 85 warplanes to Vipers “will provide the Hellenic Airforce with an entirely new aircraft, as the only element we shall keep is the fuselage,” Plessas said. He added that the F-16s and the fifth-generation F-22 and F-35 share some technology, including the new radars to be installed (digital sweeping model APG83).

In October 2017, the US state department had approved a US$2.4 billion project to upgrade Greek F-16s to the Block 70/72 Viper configuration which among other enhancements includes an APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar that significantly enhances the aircraft’s ability to identify and engage enemy aircraft.

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/23...Fighter_Jets_in__2_4Billion_Deal#.W52qHugzZPY

 

[Jobless Jack]

Greece has money ?

 

[FuturePAF]

28 Million per plane for the F-16V upgrade; APG-83 SABR is a relatively quick upgrade, the avionics upgrades will take some time, and any word on what other upgrades the F-16V upgrade entails? Maybe an IRST in front of the cockpit and some built in EW Upgrades?

 

[CHI RULES]

Nice up grades and shall give Hellenic AF an edge for some time over Turkish AF.

 

[Avicenna]

This is one way for the US to get back at Turkey.

 

[Super Falcon]

Do grreks have money last time their economy was in bad shape that entire EU helped them but yet they are in bad shape why wasting money

 

[baapu]

Nice up grades and shall give Hellenic AF an edge for some time over Turkish AF.

I dont believe Turkey and Greece have any conflicting interests ( or territory disputes ) currently? Why drag Turkey into this?

 

[Nein]

I dont believe Turkey and Greece have any conflicting interests ( or territory disputes ) currently? Why drag Turkey into this?

Aegean Islands dispute

 

[volatile]

Bells for Turkey ,deny F35s and give AESA to F16 for Greeks ,

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Wow upgrade of 85 f16 to block 70 standard. Totally worth the money for such upgrade with latest Standard.

 

[CHI RULES]

I dont believe Turkey and Greece have any conflicting interests ( or territory disputes ) currently? Why drag Turkey into this?

U know nothing about international politics, both countries are in direct conflict over Cyprus and few other territories. Sorry man I wonder how ignorant u are.

 

[baapu]

U know nothing about international politics, both countries are in direct conflict over Cyprus and few other territories. Sorry man I wonder how ignorant u are.

Cyprus was settled long time ago.

 

[CHI RULES]

Cyprus was settled long time ago.

The issue is not settled some time back Turkey lost an F16 and some sort of activity still going on there, since Turkey is moving away from NATO one may also see another conflict rising. Though I hope same should not happen.

 

[cabatli_53]

The gap between Greece and Turkey have been widened thanks to active and advanced industry programs of Turkey. Greece lost the bus and they lack behind in all fields against Turkey so There is no balance that we can talk about. Cause of that fact, The things Greece does, don’t make much sense. We are in a timeline Turkey establishes one of the best layered air defence missile system, network connected national radars, CAS and Air superiority stealth fighter program, airborne and land bases AESA radars, IFF, mission computers and almost all type missile system including AA. Turkish industry drive Greece into desperation so they needs to seperate extra budget for military spendings even in crisis times.

 

[aman_rai]

2.4 billion for 85 jets upgrade...
That too to blk70 standards...
Looks very good deal...