Greece is in talks with the US to co-produce US-designed Constellation-class frigates, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday.
“We are discussing with the US the joint design and co-production of the new generation of Constellation frigates,” Dendias said after a meeting with his Cypriot counterpart, Vasilis Palmas in Athens.
He added that on January 16 the Greek navy received a letter by the US navy, which was approving in principle Greece’s interest in the co-production of seven new frigates in Greek shipyards.
If there is an agreement, Greece could participate in this program from the beginning, in their design, based on the needs of the Greek navy.
Greece is reviewing whether the LCS frigates, which the United States will provide to Greece through a framework of free provision of a series of means, could provide an interim solution.
The Greek defense minister also said that he had discussed with his Cyprus Republic counterpart Palmas the extension of the naval base Evangelos Florakis at Mari, southern Cyprus, in order to accommodate modern frigates like the Belharras.
Referring to the supply of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece, Dendias said that it is too early to discuss pricing as the process is complicated. He asserted that when the Greek side makes its own assessments, they will be made public.
On Friday, the US administration formally informed Congress of its intention to proceed with a $8.6-billion deal to sell 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece.
The F-35s are a notorious dud , dangerous and unbelievably expensive, a disaster all round. Up until now Greece has managed to avoid getting them. Another 8.6 billion euros on the shoulders of impoverished greek taxpayers? ? Unbelievable. What a disaster.