Greek government approves HAF F-16 fighters upgrade program.

Greece’s government council for foreign affairs and defense, chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, has approved a plan to upgrade 85 F-16 fighter aircraft to the F-16V standard through a potential $1.45 billion contract, Reuters said on April 28, 2018.

Two HAF F-16 fighter jets
(Credit: HAF)

"The council unanimously approved the implementation of the 85-plane upgrade programme," Tsipras' office said. No details on the cost or delivery dates of the programme were given. The Council also decided to activate a sub-program for the support of the eight C-27J aircraft in service with the HAF.

Washington on October 2017 approved a major Foreign Militay Sales from Greece estimated at $2.4 billion at the time for a 10-year modernization programme. Reports on Saturday said the programme now agreed runs to 2021 at a cost of 545.9 million dollars.

This potential FMS includes up to 125 APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars; 123 Modular Mission Computers (MMCs); 123 LINK-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS) with TACAN and EHSI; 123 LN260 Embedded Global Navigation Systems (EGI)/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS); 123 Improved Programmable Display Generators (iPDGs). The program also involves one Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); one F-16V Simulator; and upgrade to two existing simulators. 

Greece currently employs a mix of 150 F-16s in Block 30, Block 50, Block 52+, and Block 52+ Advanced configurations.