The governments of
Greece and the United States have signed a Letter of Offer and
Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin
Advanced F-16 Block 52+ aircraft to Greece, with an option for an
additional 10 aircraft.
The new aircraft will supplement the existing fleet of Hellenic
Air Force (HAF) F-16 aircraft and continue the modernization of the
HAF. The total program value for the initial 30 aircraft is
approximately $ 1.99 billion U.S. Lockheed Martin's portion of the
total program is estimated at $1.2 billion U.S.
Mr. Spilios Spiliotopoulos, Greece's Minister of Defense, stated
that the new procurement will meet the defense capability needs of
Greece and the near-term operational requirements of the HAF. He
stressed that the government-to-government agreement ensures full
transparency and that the new buy is based on Hellenic and U.S.
legal procedures for defense acquisitions.
"We are honored that Greece has once again selected a Lockheed
Martin product to meet the needs of its national defense. We're
committed to providing the newest advanced technology to ensure
long-term mission success for our valued customer, the Hellenic Air
Force," said Ralph D. Heath, president of Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Company.
"This purchase reaffirms the high quality of the F-16 and
Lockheed Martin's commitment to the total satisfaction of the HAF,"
said June Shrewsbury, Lockheed Martin's vice president of F-16
programs. "Today's F-16s are the most advanced fighters in service
and the most combat-tested multi-role aircraft, carrying the most
up-to-date weapons and having the lowest possible acquisition,
operation and support costs."
The Regional Vice President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics,
based in Greece, Dennys Plessas, referred to the
government-to-government agreement and 60 years of productive
cooperation between the HAF and Lockheed Martin. "The F-16 provides
the most balanced solution to meet Greece's military and economic
objectives and requirements. The new buy will continue to
strengthen the existing industrial and defense partnership Lockheed
Martin has with the Hellenic defense industry, providing high
technology benefits for Greece's aeronautical and defense
industry," Plessas said.
The F-16 has been continually upgraded throughout its production
history. The Block 52+ is one of the most modern and capable F-16
versions ever built, providing a major leap in capabilities over
earlier models. Capability enhancements include an expanded core
computing capacity, improved communications and a larger selection
of precision weapons. The Hellenic Air Force will take delivery of
the new aircraft in 2009.