Turkish aerospace dominance sparks concerns for Greek defense minister

Ankara’s recent development in the defense industry should be an example for Athens, says Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias

Turkiye is far ahead of Greece in the aerospace industry, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told the Kathimerini newspaper Sunday.

“Where were we and Turkiye in 1980? Look at where Turkiye and we are today, in 2024. Turkiye has made strides in the aerospace industry and we have taken steps backward. This is unacceptable,” Dendias said.

He also stressed that the Greek aerospace industry and the Greek defense industry have serious problems, and said that they have very few domestically produced products.

The Greek minister also emphasized that this situation is unacceptable, despite the huge amount of money spent to meet the needs of his country’s Armed Forces.

Noting that Greece can reach a better position in the aviation industry according to its possibilities and needs, Dendias expressed he was not satisfied with the current situation.

Dendias said that it was the Greek Air Force could not survive without a normally functioning aviation industry, and announced that in the coming days, they would present a draft law showing how the country’s production potential could be linked to the needs of the General Staff.

‘PROBLEMS CANNOT BE IGNORED’

Meanwhile, Dendias said Greece will buy F-35 fighter jets from the United States and that it will not be enough to have weapon systems only.

“An air force with F-35s but not enough transport aircraft is not a modern air force,” he added.

Emphasizing that the availability of the frigates belonging to the Greek Navy should also be addressed, Dendias noted it is not only important for the frigates to go to sea but also that all their systems must be operational.

Reminding that several warships Mehrzweck-Kombination (MEKO) – developed by the German company – class frigates needed to be modernized, Dendias pointed out the importance of the Greek fleet reaching the levels before the economic crisis.

Source: Kathimerini

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