Tel Aviv. Government of Greece has approved an Expansive Defense Agreement between the Israeli and Greek Ministries of Defense.
The agreement, which will be signed by both defense ministries, includes the establishment and operation of a flight school for the Hellenic Air Force by Elbit Systems. It also includes the procurement of 10 M-346 aircraft (Lavi), the maintenance of T-6 aircraft , as well as the provision of simulators, training and logistic support. The G-to-G agreement amounts to around US$1.68 billion and will span over 20 years.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, speaking on the development, said: “The agreement reflects the excellent and developing relations we have with Greece. It is a long-term partnership that will serve the interests of both Israel and Greece, create hundreds of jobs in both countries, and promote stability in the Mediterranean. In the phone call that I received after the agreement was approved, I thanked my friend the Greek Minister of Defense, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, and expressed my appreciation for his personal involvement in advancing this project. I also commended the recent strengthening of defense relations between our countries and noted my expectation that these will deepen further.”
The Israel Ministry of Defense participated in an international tender for this project, and its winning bid was approved by the Greek government. As part of the agreement, the flight school will be built and maintained by Elbit Systems. This is the largest defense procurement agreement between the two countries to date, and the approval from Athens enables the parties to move forward in the negotiations leading to the signing of a contract.
In the near future, SIBAT, the Directorate for International Defence Cooperation in the Israel Ministry of Defense, and Elbit Systems will sign the agreement to establish the Greek flight school. Modeled after the Israel Air Force (IAF) flight academy, the Greek school will be equipped with 10 M-346 training aircraft produced by Italian company, Leonardo. Otherwise known as “Lavi,” these aircraft are also employed in the Israeli flight school and are considered very successful.
Within the framework of the agreement, Elbit Systems will provide kits to upgrade and operate the Hellenic Air Force’s T-6 aircraft. Elbit will also provide training, simulators and logistical support. In the future, the parties will also consider areas of cooperation between the Israeli and Greek flight academies.
SIBAT Director Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas said that the Greek government’s approval of this agreement is a historic step in further deepening the excellent defense relations between our two countries. “This is not just a defense export agreement, but rather a partnership for at least 20 years. I would like to thank the Greek Ministry of National Defense for its trust and for assigning this important task to the Israel Ministry of Defense and our excellent defense industry.”
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist
