Greece is planning to decommission 32 of its F-16 Block-30 fighter jets and potentially transfer them to Ukraine. This move comes alongside Greece’s plan to modernize its remaining F-16s and acquire new Dassault Rafale fighters from France.Additionally, the US has approved Greece’s purchase of advanced F-35 jets.
According to Al Jazeera’s sources, Greece proposes sending the decommissioned F-16s to the US for upgrades before transferring them to Ukraine. However, concerns exist about the impact on Greece’s air defense capabilities, as some officials believe this transfer could create a significant gap.
This news follows previous reports, which claimed Athens was considering sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine in exchange for US security guarantees against Turkey. However, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has since refuted these claims, citing the sensitivity of defense matters due to ongoing tensions with Turkey.
Reports suggest Ukraine could potentially receive about 60 decommissioned F-16s from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands.
Additionally, Belgium has offered a transfer of 30 of its F-16 fighters to Ukraine by 2028.
But this falls short of their estimated need of 120 jets. Greece’s offer of 32 F-16s would help bridge this gap in Ukraine’s air force capabilities.
