Rene van Woezik/Athens
While recent Greek interest in the Boeing F-15 Eagle and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker may have caught the eye, the core of its air force's combat fleet into the first decade of the next century will be built around the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D, deliveries of which have begun again to the Mediterranean country.
The arrival in Greece of the first of 40 F-16C/D Block 50/52s earlier this year marks the latest phase of the air force's continuing programme to revamp its combat-aircraft fleet.
The Block 50 F-16 is also being pitched against the F-15 and Su-27 in Greece's latest fighter competition for up to a further 60 aircraft, as is the Dassault Mirage 2000-5.
Given, however, the already disparate nature of the air force's combat-aircraft inventory, both Boeing and Sukhoi are going to have to overcome the considerable issue of increasing an already complex set of logistics demands if either is to be successful in winning the order.
Deliveries of the latest batch of 32 F-16Cs and eight F-16Ds is expected to run until the first quarter of 1999. The F-16 procurement programme was, in part, originally driven by the air force's need to find a replacement for its Northrop F-5s. The second-batch procurement, however, has more to do with the aim of keeping parity with its Turkish neighbour.
Potential purchases
Turkish follow-on purchases of the F-16 have spurred the Greek air force to acquire more of the aircraft for its own inventory. As early as 1993, some of its senior officers were spelling out plans for potential future purchases. Brig Gen Dimitrios Skourgias, then commander of the 111th Combat Wing, warned: "To keep the balance with the Turkish air force, the Greek air force will need 40 new F-16s as replacement for the phased-out Northrop F-5s. In the case of the Turkish air force taking another 80 F-16s on top of the planned number of 160, the [Greek] air force will have to compensate with at least an additional 40 F-16s to bring the total up to 120 aircraft."
Initially, the Government had looked to fulfil this additional requirement by taking up to 80 secondhand F-16A/Bs withdrawn from the US Air Force inventory. Towards the end of 1996, however, the release of the Defence Spending Proposal for the next decade revealed that the air force intended to purchase new F-16C/Ds instead of the used F-16A/Bs.
The Block 50 F-16 s are being delivered to 347 Sqn which is part of the 111th Combat Wing based at Nea Achialos; 346 Sqn, which flies Block 30 F-16C/Ds, has been moved from this base to Larissa to make the necessary ramp space available for the new unit.
The second squadron to receive Block 50 aircraft will be 349 Sqn, now equipped with F-5s. This will also be based at Nea Achialos. The F-5 is the oldest fighter in the air force inventory, and is now gradually being phased out. Some 60 F-5s (including F-5A/Bs, RF-5As and NF-5A/Bs) remain on the air force's books.
One of the upgrades which is embedded in the Block 50 F-16 is the ability to make full use of the Texas Instruments AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missile. Along with its order for the 40 Block 50 aircraft, Greece is also purchasing 84 AGM-88Bs. These will provide the air force with a more capable anti-radiation missile than the AGM- 45 Shrike which it now fields in this role.
To boost the aircraft's air-to-air capability, the air force has placed an initial order for 50 Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The AMRAAM will provide the air force with an active-radar-guided air-to-air missile with a considerably greater engagement capability than that provided by the AIM-7 Sparrow which it now deploys.
Laser longings
Highlighting the air force's desire to use the Block 50 as a multi-role aircraft, and not purely as an interceptor, it is its desire also to equip some of the aircraft with a targeting pod. It has shown interest in procuring 20-25 laser-designator pods for the F-16. These could be used with the Texas Instruments Paveway II laser-guided bombs already in the inventory.
Greece also aims to acquire a further ten Dassault Mirage 2000EG multi-role fighters. The air force fields two squadrons of Mirage 2000EG/BGs, totalling 38 aircraft.
Although it has been in the Greek air force inventory for almost two decades, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom remains a service stalwart and is used in the air-defence and ground-attack roles. Larissa-based 337 Sqn is tasked with air defence, while 338 Sqn performs the same task from Andravida. In 1991, the latter received 28 ex-US Air National Guard F-4Es. The third F-4E unit is with 339 Sqn, also at Andravida, which has a primary ground-attack role.
Daimler-Benz Aerospace has been awarded a contract to upgrade 40 F-4Es to a standard similar to that of ts F-4F-Improved Combat Efficiency programme being implemented for the German air force.
As well as using the F-4s for air-defence and strike roles, the air force also operates several reconnaissance RF-4Es, concentrated with 348 Sqn at Larissa. The squadron's original five RF-4Es were supplemented with the arrival in 1992 of 29 former German air force RF-4Es.
Alongside the F-4 in the ground-attack role, the air force also employs Vought A-7 Corsairs. The A-7H is operated by 340 and 345 Sqns, both based at Souda. After more than two decades of service, about 45 of the original 60 A-7Hs remain operational, as well as five TA-7Hs.
A-7E boost
In April 1993, the Corsair fleet was strengthened when the first A-7E Corsairs were delivered to the 116 Combat Wing at Araxos as replacements for Lockheed F-104Gs. The A-7E model is compatible with the A-7H, although the TA-7C trainers had to undergo a modernisation programme at the US Navy depot at Jacksonville, Florida, before being delivered as TA-7Hs. 335 and 336 Sqns operate 40 A-7Es and four TA-7Hs, while Hellenic Aerospace Industries keeps about ten A-7Es and TA-7Cs in storage, for spare parts.
The air force also maintains a large (and similarly varied) fleet of transport and utility aircraft, making it one of the most potent air arms in the region. Its announced intention to strengthen that power through more purchases of F-16s will do nothing to lessen tensions between Greece and fellow NATO member (but territorial rival) Turkey.
Source: Flight International
