Greece gets F-35 stealth jets meant for Turkey
The United States approved the sale of
fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece, several of which were
originally destined for Turkey, Greek City Times reported on Tuesday.
Greece will buy six of 20 warplanes in 2022, along
with six French-made Rafale fighter jets, the news website said, citing Greek
language newspaper Estia.
Six of the F-35s were originally meant for Turkey,
but will now be decorated in the blue and white national colours of Greece, GCT
said.
The United States excluded Turkey from a deal to
purchase the F-35s last year after the Turkish government took delivery of
Russian S-400 air defence missiles. Turkish pilots had received training in the
fighter jets in the U.S. ahead of their expected arrival.
Greece’s deal to take delivery of the F-35s comes
during a political and military standoff with Turkey over territorial claims in
the eastern Mediterranean. Hopes for de-escalation were dimmed earlier this
month when the Turkey announced naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean
and sent its research ship, the Oruç Reis, back to contested waters to continue
a search for hydrocarbons, a move that had sparked the dispute on Aug. 10.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
said on Friday that Turkey had tested the S-400s and was continuing to do so.
The Pentagon immediately condemned the move. Washington has threatened further
economic and political reprisals for Ankara’s purchase of the missiles, which
it says could be used by Russia to garner sensitive information on the F-35 and
other NATO weapons.
