Greece initiates major overhaul of air force, plans sale of F‑16 and Mirage jets

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias announced that the Greek Armed Forces are undergoing significant changes as part of "the largest reform program in the history of the modern Greek state," as reported by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. This includes transformations in aviation. The Greek government plans to retire and sell older F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. We remind you what these machines are,

Nikos Dendias believes that the Greek air force needs greater uniformity and interoperability of its fleet. He said: "We have F-4, Mirage 2000-5, Block 30 F-16, Block 50 F-16, Block 52 F-16, Viper F-16, and Rafales. We cannot operate this way. F-4s need to be retired and, if possible, sold. The Mirage 2000-5 is an aircraft with exceptional capabilities and can be sold. Block 30 F-16 planes must be sold. I think we will be able to sell [ed. Mirage 2000-5 and Block 30 F-16]".

This decision is related to the huge costs of maintaining different types of aircraft compared to having compatible fleets and the need for modernisation or withdrawal of ageing machines. Dendias emphasised: "As for the other aircraft, we need to upgrade F-16s to the Viper level, we need to strengthen our fleet of Rafales – we have 24, but it would be good to get up to 30 – and of course acquire Block 4 F-35s, which have not yet taken to the skies, but will remedy all the teething problems of a fourth-generation aircraft".

For now, it is not known how many fighter jets Greece will offer for sale and who may be interested in buying them. The American service The War Zone, however, points out that F-16 fighters and Mirages may be an attractive offer on the used machine market, though their potential price is still a mystery. At the beginning of 2024, there were reports of the possibility of selling older 18 Mirage 2000 fighters, which Greece had retired from active service in 2022. At that time, Greek media speculated that the price for them would be low, amounting to no more than a few million dollars.

They can be considered aviation veterans, which in practice means slim chances for sale. As The War Zone rightly points out, F-16 and Mirage have been repeatedly associated with potential transfers to Ukraine, which is likely to receive its first Western F-16s this summer. Thus, Kyiv and its allies may closely monitor further information about the sale of Greek fighters.

The F-16 is an iconic fourth-generation fighter jet that remains in the arsenal of nearly 30 world armies. Machines designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin since 1977 continue to attract interest due to the capabilities they provide. A major advantage is their ability to carry a diverse array of weapons.

Lockheed Martin emphasises on its website that it has more than 36 years of experience in weapon integration with the F-16, allowing this multi-role fighter to carry approximately 180 types of various weapons. Moreover, F-16s can travel at a speed of about Mach 2, which is close to 2447 km/h. They are also equipped with modern technologies that give them an advantage over adversaries.

Mirage 2000 aircraft, produced since 1983 by Dassault Aviation, remained the backbone of the French air forces for years. France is gradually retiring them from service and replacing them with advanced Rafale fighters. Several versions of this fighter jet have been developed, and the multi-role version Mirage 2000-5, which Greece wants to sell, is distinguished by a new arrangement of suspensions. They can reach a maximum speed similar to the F-16, about 2336 km/h, and carry a wide range of weapons, e.g., SCALP-EG cruise missiles, the French counterpart of Storm Shadow, GBU family guided bombs competing with JDAM, and AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

It's also worth mentioning that the Mirage 2000, as well as the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen and the American F-16, competed in Poland's "tender of the century" for multi-role fighters for the Polish Air Force, which was ultimately won by the F-16 fighters.