The first six Rafale planes will arrive in Greece

 

 One year after Greece ordered French-made Rafale fighter jets, the first six planes are expected to arrive at Tanagra air base and a ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

The initial order was for 18 planes, and in September Athens added six more in view of Turkey's ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The total value of the aircraft is estimated at 3.3 billion euros, and Athens also plans to buy three Belharra-class frigates from the French shipyard Naval Group for between 3 billion and 5 billion euros. Greece has also expressed interest in purchasing five Gowind-class corvettes from the Naval Group.

 "Greece's position has changed in the eyes of its international partners. The country overcame the economic crisis, the immigration shock and stopped "begging" for money. Instead, it has once again become an important partner for defense programs and contracts. "Remember that when President (Emmanuel) Macron traveled to Greece, he was accompanied by important businessmen," said Dorothy Schmidt, head of the Middle East and Turkey program at the French Institute of International Affairs.

In 2021, Greece's annual defense budget reached 5.5 billion euros, a sharp increase of 41% compared to 2020.

 At the same time, the Greco-French alliance has angered Ankara, especially since the signing of a strategic agreement with a mutual assistance clause in the event of a border threat. Greece has also agreed to send troops to the Sahel region of West Africa to help France.

Athens has also signed an agreement to train Greek pilots in Israel, along with defense co-operation agreements with the United Arab Emirates and the United States, while Greece remains open to acquiring US F-35 fighter jets.

French President Macron and Mitsotakis are two of the most zealous supporters of Europe's strategic autonomy.

 France's presence in the Eastern Mediterranean strengthens these ambitions, while for Greece such diplomatic agreements have become necessary to limit Turkish aggression, the newspaper said.