Amid Greece’s large-scale buy of 20 F-35s, the improve of their F-16 Block 52+ to the Viper model, and potential further acquisitions of French Rafales, the nation’s Protection Ministry has unveiled plans to dump their older fleet. This contains F-16 Block 30, Mirage 2000-5, and F-4 Phantom models.
Inspecting the figures, we discover that Greece plans to promote a complete of 108 fighter jets: 32 models of F-16C/D Block 30, 24 Mirage 2000-5 Mk. 2 models, and 33 F-4E PI2000 fashions. Apparently, Greece holds excessive hopes to garner a complete sum of two to 2.5 billion euros from this sale.
Nonetheless, their projections is likely to be overly optimistic. Buying clients for the F-4 Phantom might be significantly difficult as a consequence of its outdated expertise. At the moment, solely Turkey, South Korea – which is within the technique of decommissioning them, and Iran retain the companies of the F-4 Phantom.
India may present an curiosity within the Mirage 2000-5, contemplating their present operation of comparable fighter jets. Nonetheless, the group of potential consumers might lengthen effectively past India. In spite of everything, the Mirage 2000-5 is presently in service in Egypt, Taiwan, and the UAE.
In terms of the F-16, there’s been appreciable discuss inside Greek navy publications. They counsel that Ukraine is likely to be occupied with repurchasing them or acquiring them by way of different means.
In terms of the F-16 Block 30, these jets had initially been designated by Greece as replacements for the F-5A again in 1984. Initially, the challenge was estimated to price round $940 million, with particular provisions set for localization and compensation agreements. Nonetheless, after an intensive bidding course of, the full expense was lowered to $659 million, whereas the projected co-production price was estimated at $240 million.
From 1989 to 1990, Greece acquired 34 single-seater F-16Cs and 6 dual-seater F-16Ds, all of them model new. Within the second half of the ’90s, these plane underwent a rejuvenating Falcon-Up “mid-life cycle” modification. This complete overhaul included the alternative of 4 structural parts of the fuselage, successfully extending these plane’s lifecycle from 4,000 to eight,000 hours. These vital modifications had been managed by the Hellenic Aerospace Trade.
Moreover, Greece added 24 LANTIRN modules to its F-16 Block 30 fleet. This enabled them to make the most of high-precision munitions for floor goal engagement. An improve was deliberate for these plane to combine the RB ASPIS complicated, together with the ALQ-187 I-DIAS jamming station.
So, when evaluating Greek F-16s to these from the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, or Norway, the Greek fleet has a barely extra refined base model. It operates with Block 30 versus Block 15. The numerous distinction between these blocks is that Greece’s model comes with the extra superior AN/APG-68 radar [from block 25 onwards] as an alternative of the AN/APG-66. Nonetheless, all of those plane underwent ‘mid-life’ Falcon-Up and MLU upgrades, which basically leveled up all their capabilities.
The timeline for plane manufacturing stays undetermined till we acquire extra exact details about the European F-16. Nonetheless, if there may be any distinction, it will likely be a matter of only a few years, favoring the marginally youthful Greek machines. It’s important to notice that Greek sources point out that their fighters are solely 60% depreciated – a declare that requires additional investigation.
Understanding the worth of those used F-16s will be gleaned by way of a sensible settlement between Denmark and Argentina involving the sale of 24 comparable fighters. The present value into account is $14 million per airplane, totaling $338 million for the 24 used F-16 MLUs. If the Greek fighters are priced equally, this may quantity to round $448 million.
Though hope in Athens is excessive, this estimation might be purely theoretical. If Greece enhances its armed forces with these plane, it’d doubtlessly obtain a reduction on the procurement of recent American weapons, together with the coveted F-35s.
The priority in regards to the timeline stays. Greek armed forces’ revamping is scheduled to final till 2030 and the primary F-35s aren’t slated to reach till, on the very earliest, 2028. The situations for updating the F-16 Block 52+ to the Viper haven’t been definitively introduced. Nonetheless, one factor is definite – if Greece really goals to garner funds or a reduction for these F-16s, it’s unlikely to occur till the tip of the last decade.
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