Page 6 - ADT JUNE - JULY 2021 Online Magazine

MBDA to Arm the Rafale
The Rafales will be armed with MBDA-made
SCALP cruise missiles, AM39 Exocet anti-ship
missiles, and MICA multi-mission air-to-air mis-
siles. “The new aircraft’s weapons will benefit
from the strong commonality with those from [ COVER STORY ]
the Mirage 2000s and Mirage 2000-5s cur-
rently in service in the Hellenic Air Force. Like
these, the Rafales will be armed with SCALP
cruise missiles, AM39 Exocet anti-ship mis-
siles and MICA multi-mission air-to-air missiles.
Additionally, MBDA will also supply Meteor
beyond visual range air-to-air missiles.

Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, says: “Greece
was the very first customer of the Exocet mis-
sile in 1968, showing great confidence in it and
The logistic support contract will support the Hellenic Air Force in our predecessor companies. This confidence
Rafale’s air activity over four and a half years, maintaining the avail- has been renewed over the years and is being
ability of equipment and systems at the highest level. renewed again. It is our duty to do everything
we can in order to continue delivering on this
“THE ARRIVAL OF THE RAFALE IN GREECE confidence into tomorrow.”
HIGHLIGHTS THE QUALITY OF THE STRATEGIC
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GREECE AND FRANCE Greece is also currently in the process of
AND THE CONTINUATION OF MORE THAN 45 upgrading 85 of its Lockheed Martin F-16s to
Viper level, turning them into fourth-genera-
YEARS OF SOLID PARTNERSHIP WITH DASSAULT tion fighter aircraft. Local media reports also
AVIATION AND ITS INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS THALES indicate that Greek authorities could now be
AND SAFRAN,” Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of considering expanding the 332nd "Falcon"
Dassault Aviation Squadron to 24 aircraft. "A squadron has at
least 18 fighter jets. A good number for a war
The procurement of Rafale jets will be accompanied by the squadron is 24,” a military source told pro-
upgrade of ten of the Air Force’ Mirage 2000 jet fighters to the tothema.gr. The squadron is to be located in
more advanced 2000-5 standard. This will give the Hellenic Air Tanagra, the home base of the 114th Combat
Force a total of 35 Mirage 2000-5s, to go with the previous 10 Wing of the Hellenic Air Force. The wing is used
units upgraded in 2004 and the 15 Mirage 2000-5 standard units to French-made aircraft: after flying the Mirage
ordered in 2000. F1CG fighter from 1975 to 2003, it is currently
equipped with the Mirage 2000-5.
It is Greece’s first significant defence equipment purchase since
2005, when it bought more than 300 Leopard tanks from Germany, Greece’s overall defence spending halved from
and its first investment in a new combat aircraft since buying French 7.88 billion euros in 2009 to 3.75 billion euros in
Mirage 2000s in 1989. 2018, as an eight-year recession led to budget
cuts. Greece is sharply increasing its defence
spending by 43 per cent this year, to 5.5 billion
euros (US$6.7 billion).

More Frigates
The focus in the last few months has turned to
frigates, as Greece has signalled it intends to
procure state-of-the-art vessels to improve its
naval capabilities in the Aegean and Eastern
Mediterranean in the face of the Turkish threat.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis said Greece will buy
four new frigates and upgrade four existing
ones.

On June 5, the prime minister chaired a meeting
on the procedures for evaluating proposals for
the acquisition of new frigates. According to the

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