Greece Signs Deal to Buy 20 F-35 Lightning IIs
The deal with Lockheed Martin also includes an option to purchase an additional 20 fighter jets for the Hellenic Air Force.
Greece has signed a letter of offer and acceptance to acquire 20 F-35 Lightning II fighters for the Hellenic Air Force. [Courtesy: Lockheed Martin]
Greece has signed an agreement to purchase 20 F-35 Lightning II jets with an option to double the order, Lockheed Martin announced.
Government officials signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) through a U.S. government foreign military sale Thursday, making the country the 19th to purchase the aircraft, the company said.
"We are excited to welcome Greece into the F-35 enterprise," U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Mike Schmidt, director and program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said in a statement. "The F-35 will provide exceptional capability to the Hellenic Air Force, build interoperability between our allies, and strengthen the combat effectiveness for all of NATO."
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The Hellenic Air Force also operates F-16s and C-130s, as well as S-70 B and MH-60R helicopters, according to Lockheed Martin. Earlier this year, Greece also signed an LOA worth nearly $2 billion for the purchase of 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
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