Is Greece buying weapons from Israel despite the economic crisis? tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is Greece buying weapons from Israel despite the economic crisis?

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Economy, Israel-GR

Is Greece readying to spend millions and millions of dollars to buy advanced weaponry from Israel despite the economic crisis? According to reports coming from Tel Aviv and Washington, the answer is “Yes!”.  Executives of Israel’s defense industry are reportedly talking to Greece’s Armed Forces about a possible multimillion-dollar sale of advanced weaponry in Athens and Greek military officials talk in Tel Aviv about the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Israel’s daily The Jesuralem Post’sdefense correspondent Yaakov Katz reported Sunday, December 12, 2010 that an Israeli delegation, including senior Defense Ministry officials was in Athens to hold talks with the Hellenic Armed Forces over a possible multi-million dollar deal.

JThe Post gave just a few details but said the systems under discussion “could include weapons systems” for the Greek air force’s fleet of 1 F-16 fighter jets. Yet the newspaper stresses as one of the obstacles Greece’s poor economy but officials said “they were seeking creative ways for Greece to pay for the systems”.

What are ‘creative ways’ to pay for weapon systems? Tomatoes? Eggs? …. Can someone, please, explain? 

JPost: Multi-million deal in the works to sell weapons system for Hellenic Air Force’s F-16 fleet. 

In an effort to improve ties with Greece and create new military partnerships in the Mediterranean, Israeli defense industries are in talks with the Hellenic Armed Forces over a possible multi-million dollar sale of advanced weapons systems.

A senior Israeli defense delegation consisting of officials from the Defense Ministry and local industries recently traveled to Greece to discuss the deal, which could include weapons systems for the Hellenic Air Force’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets

Officials said that the deal has been in the works for several months, ever since Binyamin Netanyahu made Israeli history and became the first prime minister to visit Greece in August.

One of the obstacles in the way of the deal is Greece’s poor economy, but officials said they were seeking creative ways for Greece to pay for the systems and enable the deal to materialize.

Israeli-Greek ties have been on the ascent since May’s navy raid on a Turkish flotilla trying to break the Israeli-imposed sea blockade on the Gaza Strip. In response to the raid, which ended with nine dead Turkish nationals, Turkey cut off all military and political ties with Israel.

Locked out of Turkey, the Israel Air Force found a new partner in Greece. Over the past year, it has held four exercises in Greece, most recently in October and November; these last ones included the deployment of squadrons of fighter jets and attack helicopters.

Officials said that Israel would continue to cooperate with Greece and was also likely to hold maneuvers in Bulgaria in the beginning of 2011.

(source: Jesusalem Post/Multi-million deal in the works to sell weapons system for Hellenic Air Force’s F-16 fleet )

 

UPI: Israel talks turkey to Greece

Meanwhile Washington based United Press International (UPI) referring to the JPost’s article adds that “A Greek military officialconcerned with defense procurement who was in Israel on a week long trip earlier in December said he was involved in the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles.”

The state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, which manufactures UAVs, also specializes in upgrading F-16s, which the Greek air force uses extensively. IAI and other Israeli defense companies have developed world-class electronic systems for the F-16, as well as other U.S.-produced weapons platforms.

Israel’s defense industries did lucrative business with Turkey’s military, with an annual turnover of some $2.5 billion a year in recent years.

Greece is grappling with severe economic problems and is unlikely to generate the same level of sales as its arch rival. But Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who boasts many Israeli business contacts, is committed to upgrading his country’s armed forces and transforming them into the major bulwark of NATO in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean in place of Muslim Turkey.

The deal has apparently been in the works since July when Papandreou visited Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reciprocated the following month, the first Israeli leader to visit Athens.

This exchange followed a secret meeting in Russia between Netanyahu and Papandreou some weeks earlier. Diplomatic sources say the Greek prime minister initiated the approach because he saw an opportunity for Athens to replace Ankara in Israel’s strategic worldview.

Israeli sources say the blossoming relationship with Greece has been evolving since the summer of 2008 when Papandreou permitted 100 Israeli F-15I and F-16I strike aircraft to use Greek airspace to practice long-range flights and in-flight refueling.

(source: UPI/Israel talks turkey to Greece)

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