Greece has reached an agreement with the US valued at up to $4 billion for weapons procurement and F-16 modernisation, Reuters reported. The package includes upgrading older F-16s to the Viper standard and acquiring advanced missiles and bombs for its F-16 Vipers, planned F-35 fleet and Black Hawk helicopters. Reuters reported that Greece allocates nearly 3.5% of its GDP to defence and intends to invest approximately €28 billion ($31 billion) in modernising its armed forces through 2036. European Defence Agency figures show that the country spent €6.9 billion on defence last year, equivalent to 2.8% of GDP. F-16 modernisation programme: Greece received its 60th F-16 Viper in September as Lockheed Martin and Hellenic Aerospace Industry continued converting existing aircraft. The upgraded fighters feature APG-83 electronically scanned radars, new mission computers and updated cockpit displays. Conversion work is being carried out at Hellenic Aerospace Industry’s Tanagra facilities, north of Athens, with technical assistance from Lockheed Martin. Deliveries are expected to continue through 2027. The first two Vipers arrived in September 2022, four years after Greece approved the programme. The 2018 agreement was worth $1.45 billion, following an earlier US proposal to upgrade 120 aircraft at an estimated cost exceeding $2.4 billion.
