With the purchase of six new Rafale jets, Greece will have 30 state-of-the-art French fighter aircraft.
Greece’s military expansion plans
During the meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul on Saturday, the Turkish side discussed the acquisition of the Eurofighter.
In this context, decision-makers in the Greek “Pentagon” have long expressed their desire for the government to acquire six additional new Rafale fighters so that the Air Force can maintain two squadrons of the French aircraft.
The Air Force currently has 20 Rafale fighters. By the end of the year, it will receive another four more, bringing the total to 24.
It should be noted that Greece initially ordered 18 Rafale fighters—12 used and 6 new. They came at a cost of 540 million euros and 530 million euros, respectively. Later, alongside the order for Belh@rra frigates, Greece decided to acquire six additional new Rafales, with the cost set at 1.070 billion euros.
Features of the Rafale F3R
The Rafale is a French-made fighter jets, twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft capable of covering a wide range of operational missions. It joined the Greek Air Force (PA) in 2021 under contract 013C/20. This contract included 24 aircraft—12 used and 12 new. Among these, Greece will receive 18 single-seater Rafale EGs and six two-seater Rafale DGs.
The Rafale can handle multiple roles simultaneously (omnirole), allowing it to conduct different missions in a single flight. With 14 suspension stations, it can carry up to 9.5 tons of external loads.
The Rafale’s armament includes Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles, MICA EM, and IR missiles, SCALP EG cruise missiles, and Exocet AM39 Block 2 Mod 2 air-to-surface missiles. It also carries precision weapons such as the GBU 12/16/24 and AASM, along with a 30 mm gun.
When the new Rafales enter service, the 332nd squadron will operate 24 combat-ready aircraft. This will enhance Greece’s capabilities until the F-35s arrive. The first Rafale, painted in Greek colors, landed at the 114th Fighter Wing in Tanagra in January 2022.
This addition marked a significant step forward for the Air Force. It introduced a 4.5 generation fighter with advanced sensors and AESA radar technology. The Rafale also serves as a platform for Meteor air-to-air missiles, capable of imposing “area denial” due to their long range and high speed, exceeding Mach 4.
Turkey’s diplomatic push and defense strategy
Turkey’s diplomatic sources report that Ankara wants to thoroughly discuss everything from the 12-nautical-mile expansion of Greek territorial waters to the demilitarization of the islands. Turkey is also moving towards acquiring up to 40 Eurofighter jets and a missile launch platform.
This air superiority move, including the Meteor missiles, seems to be an attempt to offset Greece’s advantage with the Rafale jets. This leaves Athens with the impression that the neighboring country is simply trying to buy time.
Athens is expecting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on November 8th for discussions on whether the two sides can begin negotiations on the delimitation of the EEZ and continental shelf, though there are many signs to the contrary.
In the Air Force, it is fully understood that the air supremacy currently enjoyed by Greece could easily be balanced if Ankara acquires the fighters that are currently the topic of discussions with Germany.
