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In July in the USA N. Panagiotopoulos and K. Floros for the F-35

In July, the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, and the Head of the Greek Armed Forces, Konstantinos Floros, will go to the USA to “run” Greece’s official request for the acquisition of F-35 fighters.

According to SKAI, General K. Floros will be the first to go to the USA in mid-July, while on July 18 the Minister of Defense will also go to discuss the procurement of the F-35s, which are considered the most modern weapon system in the world. .

The Secretary of Defense and the head of the Defense Ministry will meet with executives of the company that manufactures the F-35 and visit the factory in Texas. They will also be briefed on the capabilities of the aircraft and run the procedures to get the signatures in over the next year.

It is noted that Greece, with an official request to the United States, requested the commitment of 20 F-35 aircraft, with an option for another 20. The delivery of the first fighters will begin in 2028 and be completed in 2033, at a cost of 1.6 billion euros.

F-35: What worries Turkey – Their great advantages

The F-35, whose purchase has troubled Turkey so much, is the epitome of modern aviation technology. A 5th generation stealth fighter, essentially an advanced weapons system, a flying radar and a “multi-tool” capable of hitting targets everywhere, on land, sea and air.

The F-35 is built with the contribution of a total of eight countries, including the US, Britain, Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia.

It made its first flight in 1990, but there were technical problems to finally enter mass production much later. The F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role fighter, single-seat, single-engine, stealth fighter.

It has the ability to collect data from its multiple sensors, which it then processes with its powerful computer and distributes through its communications systems.

Its great asset is its ability to enter, without being noticed, airspace where air defense and aircraft tracking systems are activated and to carry out or coordinate Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) missions. For this reason it is also considered as a “weapon of first strike” as after suppressing enemy air defenses it can target important enemy targets (strategic attacks).

In addition it can perform air superiority, close air support, electronic operations and intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

It can carry a weapon load of more than eight tons indoors and outdoors, but it should be taken into account that the use of external weapon loads or fuel tanks significantly reduce its maneuverability and stealth characteristics.

Thanks to its unique capabilities of low observability, multiple sensors and information distribution, operational image and targeting, the F-35 becomes a “flying operations center”.

What equipment does it have?

The F-35 is equipped with the state-of-the-art AN/APG-81 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Arrays) radar. It also has the EOTS (Electro Optical Targeting System) targeting systems and the AN/AAS-37 warning system. These combined with the advanced sensors give the pilot an excellent and complete picture (integrated picture) of the battlefield. The pilot has the ability to receive multiple data from the aircraft’s sensors on his helmet through the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) and Helmet Mounted Display System.

It is worth noting that those involved in the F-35 program have drawn up a precise modernization plan for the stealth fighter with the aim of keeping the fighter combat-ready until 2070, while leaps in the field of artificial intelligence create the conditions for faster pace and continuous modernization F-35.

New sensors, breakthrough computing systems, digital engineering and cyberinformatics are ushering in a new era, changing the landscape forever. Many elements of stealth technology such as heat trace management, special coating material or various manufacturing techniques in their new versions can be integrated into the F-35.

Source: Capital

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