The Hellenic Armed Forces has refused to accept most of the offered weapon systems from US stockpiles due to high refurbishment costs.
In January, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken sent a letter to the PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis informing him of the Washington’s approval of the sale of the F-35 fighter jets to Greece.
According to Ekathimerini, the Hellenic Navy decided to decline the four LCS frigates offered by the US, as they were older versions and would require substantial resources to make operational.
The only part of the Blinken package, expected to be completed without issues, is the purchase of the 20 F-35 fighter jets. It also remains to be seen if Athens will participate in the Constellation frigate program.
As a result, negotiations between the Greek and American sides have stagnated, with Athens trying to secure concessions on some lesser portable weapons systems.
Source: Ekathimerini
