greece signs for 18 rafale combat aircraft 2021

Greek lawmakers approved the purchase of 18 Dassault-made Rafale jets from France for 2.5 billion euros ($ billion) on Thursday, in a deal due to be signed by the Greek and French defense ministers later this month. Athens has agreed to acquire advanced fighter aircraft as it moves ahead with plans to beef up its military capacity during a dispute with neighboring Turkey over energy resources in the Mediterranean. The agreement for six new and 12 used Rafale jets is expected to be signed by France and Greece in Athens this month and the first deliveries are expected during the first half of the year, the government has said. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ conservative government has said it wants to invest in the armed forces, increasing personnel, acquiring new frigates, helicopters, and drones, and upgrading its existing fleet of F-16 fighters.