The Air Force has received a new Rafale fighter jet, completing its acquisition of 24 of the French-made aircraft.
The single-seat jet, which bears the serial number 457, landed at the 114th Combat Wing in Tanagra air base shortly after 1 p.m., after a non-stop flight from Mérignac in Bordeaux, and was handed over to the 332nd Squadron.
This particular Rafale belongs to the second – supplementary – contract, which increased the Air Force’s stock of the jets from 18 to 24.
The newly built Rafales were ordered from France in March 2022, along with three FDI frigates.
Within just four years, Greece has acquired a fully equipped Rafale fighter squadron, which significantly changes the balance of power in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greece has gained clear air superiority over Turkey, as it not only incorporated a 4.5th generation fighter jet, a technology that Turkey does not possess, but with the addition of Meteor medium-range missiles, it has sealed the Athens flight information region from any potential threats.
The dead for the first batch of Rafale F3R fighters was signed in January 2021. It comprised 12 slightly used and six new aircraft, which, together with their weapons, initial support, pilot and technician training and the required infrastructure in Tanagra, cost around €2.5 billion euros. Of the 18 aircraft, 14 are single-seaters and four are two-seaters.
The first Rafale was delivered to Greece in July 2021. The first six aircraft remained in France for pilot training and were welcomed to Tanagra in January 2022.
Two months later, Athens placed an additional order for six more new Rafales, at a cost of €1.09 billion, so that the strength of the 332nd Squadron would increase to 24.
Source: Ekathimerini.com
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