Andrzej Jeziorski/ATHENS
Early in September, Greece accused neighbouring Turkey of repeatedly violating its national airspace, and the Athens flight information region (FIR),with its military aircraft, in a series of incidents symptomatic of the tension between the two countries.
The Greek air force claimed that a total of 26 Turkish fighters violated its airspace seven times, and entered the Athens FIR 14 times without filing flight plans, all on 7 September. Mock dogfights ensued on eight occasions, and the Greek air force claimed that 10 of the Turkish aircraft involved were armed. The incidents took place 13km (7nm) north of the Greek islands of Lemnos and Lesbos, which lie in the north-east part of the Aegean Sea. Greece claims its national airspace extends 18.5km from the islands, while Turkey only recognises 11km, and on this basis denies any wrongdoing. Turkey also contends that military jets from allied countries are not required to file flight plans to fly through a Greek FIR which includes international airspace.
Such incidents are frequent, and there have been reports of senior Greek Government officials aboard air force transports being "buzzed" by Turkish fighters. According to the defence ministry's 1996-7 White Paper on the Hellenic armed forces:" The revisionist policy of Turkey towards Greece, as demonstrated in the Aegean, Cyprus and Thrace, causes serious concern and is considered as the most significant threat against Greek security." Harsh words indeed, considering both countries are members of the NATO alliance.
The paper accuses Turkey of violating Greek territory "almost on a daily basis", harbouring ambitions to extend its operational responsibility boundaries in the Aegean and expand its FIR westwards, and threatening war over the issue of territorial waters.
This, combined with the need to adapt its armed forces to NATO's changing role in the post-Cold War world, led Greece in late 1996 to launch an extensive armed forces modernisation and expansion programme, with a budget of Dr4 trillion ($14 billion). The programme places a particular emphasis on air defence and air force modernisation.
The Hellenic air force's mission, as stated in the White Paper, is air superiority, deterrence, and support of the other armed forces. The service's mission covers not only guaranteeing the defence of mainland Greece, but also the security of "Cypriot Hellenism" and Hellenic minorities abroad.
AIR FORCE COMMANDS
The air force is divided into three commands under the General Staff :the Hellenic Tactical Air Force (HTAF), Air Support Command and Air Training Command.
The HTAF is based in Larissa and operates from seven bases, each with a combat wing of two or three squadrons, plus a communications and liaison flight. Air Support Command is based in Elefsis, and holds responsibility for air transport, search and rescue, and emergency missions such as fire fighting and evacuations. It also holds responsibility for equipment maintenance and quality control.
The Air Training Command is based in Dekelia, and comprises the Air Force War College, Air Force Academy, and training schools for non-commissioned officers.
The mainstay of the HTAF's 360-aircraft strong fighter force is the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D. Greece has 37 Block 30 aircraft, having lost three of an original order of 40. Sources in Athens say one of the 37 is now undergoing "rehabilitation" following accident damage. Deliveries of 40 newer Block 50 aircraft are almost complete, with the last due to arrive in December, says Lockheed Martin.
The fighter force also includes 36 Dassault Mirage 2000EG/BG interceptors, 26 Mirage F1Cs, 88 Vought A-7E/H Corsairs, 42 Northrop F/RF-5A/Bs, and 66 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantoms in the intercept and ground attack roles, plus 24 RF-4E reconnaissance variants. The Phantoms are now being put through a major upgrade programme, run by Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa).
The contract with Dasa was signed in August 1997, after a hard-fought competition with Rockwell. The Avionics Upgrade Programme (AUP) covers 39 F-4Es, which are to be modernised by the end of 2000, allowing them "-to use modern air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons efficiently", says Dasa.
The AUP involves replacing the entire avionics suite with state-of-the-art equipment. It incorporates the Raytheon APG-65 multi-mode radar, the Israeli Elbit modular multi-role computer and an integrated inertial navigation/global positioning system. The package also includes a new radio, identification friend-or-foe interrogator, air data computer, multi-function colour displays, head-up display and radio altimeter. Dasa says the older cockpit equipment can then be used as spare parts for unmodified aircraft.
A team of 22 Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) engineers has been involved since the early stages of the project, based at Dasa's Ottobrunn, Germany, site as part of a total design team of 90.The prototype upgraded aircraft has been at Dasa's Manching flight test centre since October 1997, and its retrofit is now well under way. Dasa says flight testing is due to start in February 1999, with series production to begin - at HAI - in April.
The country has also requested bids from manufacturers on a new fighter purchase covering up to 60 aircraft, with more range and better attack capabilities than the aircraft now available. The candidates are :the Boeing F-15E Eagle, Dassault Mirage 2000-5, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 50 Plus and Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30.
But the prospect of the sale of aircraft with enhanced attack capabilities at a time of high tension between Greece and Turkey has raised objections in Washington, where US Congressmen have questioned the wisdom of risking an escalation of the situation. Senior US industry sources confirm that the issue has been raised in Washington, but they doubt whether the sale will be hindered.
"We have always stood by our allies, and I think in the end whatever is selected [by the Hellenic air force] will be approved [by the US Government]," says one US source. It seems likely that the other Greek air force/air defence procurement programmes - trainers, transports, surface-to-air missiles, etc - would not be threatened because they do not boost Greece's offensive capability in the same way that a new, expanded and updated fighter fleet does.
Lockheed Martin's Block 50 Plus proposal features a two-seat version of the aircraft, with the rear cockpit adapted for use by a weapons officer. The manufacturer says that Greece has shown particular interest in "a two-seat aircraft that's fully combat capable", and adds that this variant's conformal fuel tanks place it in the same range class as the F-15E - which has a maximum range of 4,450km.
Of all the fighter candidates, the Typhoon is the newest design, and the one which could take the longest to deliver. While Lockheed Martin says it could start delivering the Block 50Plus within 36 months of an order, the Typhoon will not be available for export until - most optimistically -2004. For the Typhoon to have a chance, then, there must be a satisfactory interim solution for the Hellenic air force.
Government-level talks are under way between Greece and the USA about the possible procurement of up to 24 ex-US Air Force F-16A/Bs, which could be upgraded to meet Greek needs. This upgrade could include an engine replacement, since all Greek F-16C/Ds are powered by the General Electric F110, while the A/Bs are powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100. Lockheed Martin has also offered to upgrade the current Greek F-16 fleet.
The HTAF's missile inventory includes ageing AIM-7E and AIM-7F Sparrows, as well as Matra S-530D semi-active, radar-guided, medium-range air-to-air missiles (AAMs) and newer "fire-and-forget" Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAMs. Greece this year ordered an additional batch of AIM-9Li Sidewinder short-range, infrared-guided AAMs, built by Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT) in Germany, and its industry is working together with BGT on the international IRIS-T programme for a next-generation dogfight missile with an imaging-infrared seeker. This missile will be integrated on to whatever new fighter aircraft Greece selects.
MISSILE IMPORTS
The HTAF already has the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile, and US industry sources say they expect the HARM targeting system to be released for export to Greece soon. This pod will increase the effectiveness of the weapon. The air force also has a variety of electro-optic- and laser-guided bombs, and 70mm (2.75in) and 125mm rockets for ground attack.
The other key aircraft contracts are for new trainers for the Greek Air Training Command. The turboprop primary trainer has now been selected, with Raytheon's T-6ATexan II winning over competition from Embraer with the Super Tucano and Pilatus with the PC-9. Raytheon will supply 45 aircraft in a $200 million-plus contract, with deliveries beginning as early as July 1999 and lasting through to 2002.
Raytheon won the trainer as part of a huge defence package which included Greece's $1.1 billion selection of the company's Patriot PAC-3 air-defence system, which was competing against the Russian Almaz S-300 (SA-12 Gladiator), and a $145 million Hawk Phase III upgrade, stretching this 35-year-old missile system's life into the next century (see P21).
Still to be selected is the jet trainer successor to the Hellenic air force's fleet of 35 Rockwell T-2E Buckeyes, which is reaching the end of its useful operational life. Bidders for the contract for up to 50 aircraft include: Aermacchi with the MB.339; Aero Vodochody with the L-159; British Aerospace with the Hawk; and Alenia/Embraer with the AMX-T.
An unexpected contender was revealed in early October to be Dasa, which is offering the cheap solution of upgraded ex-German air force Alpha Jets, which have been retired from service and mothballed. These aircraft could be restored to flying condition and introduced into Greek service in early 1999.
The Hellenic air force is also planning to acquire a new airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. Competitors for this contract are:Lockheed Martin with a C-130J fitted with the APS-145 radar; Northrop Grumman with the same radar mounted in the upgraded E-2C Hawkeye 2000; and Ericsson Microwave Systems with the phased-array Erieye radar mounted on a Embraer ERJ-145.
Also on the cards is a new tactical transport aircraft, with CASA/IPTN offering CN-235, CASA the larger CN-295, and Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems the C-27J upgrade of the G222.
With procurements flooding into Greece, Turkey must surely respond. If Greece acquires a substantial additional strike capability from its NATO allies, those same allies can hardly refuse to supply Turkey with similar weapons.
So while the defence industry can profit from the continuing mistrust between these neighbouring countries, politicians and NATO chiefs must be asking themselves whether this is truly serving the cause of stability in the region, or simply undermining it.
Source: Flight International
