Greece agrees up to $4 billion US arms deal, sources say

Greece has agreed to ​spend up to $4 billion upgrading more of ​its F-16 fighter jets and ‌buying advanced ​missiles from the US, two senior sources told Reuters on Thursday, a day after a visit by US Secretary of ‌State Marco Rubio.

Greece had already planned to spend about €28 billion by 2036 to buy US made F-35 fighter jets and helicopters, and to build the "Achilles Shield" a multi-layer anti-ballistic and anti-aircraft system with ‌Israeli-made weapons. "The agreement includes new advanced missiles and bombs for the F-16 Viper the F-35 ‌fighter jets, and the Black Hawk helicopters. Also the upgrade of old F-16 fighter jets to Viper version," a senior defence Ministry official told Reuters.

The official added that most of the procurements have been included in ⁠the ​government's multi year defence ⁠plan and will not put additional pressure to the country's financials. A senior foreign ministry official confirmed the above, adding ⁠that the cost will be spread over several years.

Rubio said on Wednesday in Athens that ​the two NATO allies had agreed on a joint security plan for counterterrorism information sharing ⁠between their law enforcement agencies. Greece agreed to buy 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets and 35 Sikorsky UH-60M ⁠Black ​Hawk helicopters in 2024. Is upgrading about 82 F-16s to Viper version and wants to upgrade 37 more Block 50s to Vipers at a cost of about $1 billion.

The ⁠move is part of Greece's bid to modernise its armed forces as it emerges from the ⁠2009-18 debt crisis ⁠that led to years of austerity. Greece spends nearly 3.5% of its gross domestic product on defence, a higher proportion than many other NATO ‌countries, due to ‌its long-standing dispute with Turkey.