In Athens is the US Government JSF PO (Joint Strike Fighter Program Office), which reportedly will remain in Greece for three days and is expected to bring to the attention of the political and military leadership of the Ministry of National Defense – and especially the Air Force Staff – the new updated proposal for the F-35.
The American experts, accompanied by the US Ambassador to Athens George Tsounis, will initially meet with the Minister of National Defense Mr. Nikos Panayotopoulos on the afternoon of Tuesday 26 May.
The announcement of the entry of Greece and the Air Force in the F-35 program by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last Monday in Washington signaled an alarm to the Air Staff in Athens, with the PA raising speeds at the “after burner” level and preparing the next steps to speed up processes.
The American squadron belongs directly to the US Pentagon and is essentially the global seller of the F-35. It is interdisciplinary as it is staffed by the USAF, the US Marines and the US Navy, the users of the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C.
This is the same group that visited Athens at the beginning of last February. He then made a proposal to Greece for the sale of 20 state-of-the-art F-35 aircraft for $ 3.5 billion without their weapons, while at the same time conducting an autopsy on air bases which are considered to be the “nest” of Stealth fighters in Hellas.
At the meeting of the American team with N. Panagiotopoulos, the framework of cooperation between JSF PO (Joint Strike Fighter Program Office), GEA and GDAEE will be set in order to prepare the official written letter of expression of interest LOR (Letter of Request) which will also mean start of the process for the acquisition by our Air Force of the 5th generation Stealth fighter.
The Americans will proceed to a new similar presentation with the technical, financial and time data have not changed much although the global interest in the F-35 seems to have increased. After Finland and Germany entering the program, the Americans are in contact with Portugal, Romania, Spain and the Czech Republic, while interest in the Stealth fighter is said to be expressed by Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and the Philippines. However, the priority given by the Greek-American defense agreement MDCA but also the political will of Washington and the Congress in favor of Greece give an advantage to Athens.
According to information, the GEA has already been preparing for several weeks in order to welcome the American team, but the announcement of the prime minister seems to accelerate the developments. Thus, in addition to the updated proposal of the JSF PO, cooperation is expected so that the Greek side can prepare the LOR which it will send to the USA.
With the information stating that this move is expected to take place within the summer since Athens wants to save time. In order to have the response through LOA according to the institutionalized procedure within 2023. Acceptance of the American written response will essentially mean agreement with the next step to be the transnational convention.
Source: Capital
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