Aerial shield in the Aegean with six other Rafale- Decisions for frigates and helicopters
A total of 24 French fighters that will fly over the Archipelago - Until the end of May and the final decisions for the 4 new frigates - What are the data of each proposal - And new torpedoes for the German submarines
The government is concluding the decision to acquire six more French Rafale type fighters according to cross-referenced information that protothema.gr has. In the summer of 2020, in the midst of the crisis caused by Tayyip Erdogan by launching the research ship "Oruc Reis" for work south of Kastelorizo, Greece turned to France asking to buy 18 Rafale fighter jets with rapid procedures to strengthen the Air Force.
The Greek-French agreement provided for the start of delivery of Rafale as soon as possible: six used from July 2021 until the end of the year, the next six new ones in 2022 and the last six used by Armee de l'Air in the second half of 2023. In this way the Air Force will acquire a squadron of ready-made French fighter jets at a cost of 1.92 billion euros, a price to which will be added another 400 million for their weapons.
In recent days, however, top government officials have been planning to expand the order by purchasing six more Rafale fighter jets. "A squadron of war has at least 18 fighter jets. A good number for a war squadron is 24 ", explains to protothema.gr a top military source. Government officials in charge of studying and implementing decisions to arm the Armed Forces with new weapons systems while maintaining and increasing the availability of those currently in their arsenal believe that with the acquisition of six more twin-engine 33 Rafale, A squadron, which will include all French fighters, will become the spearhead of the Air Force.
The total cost
Based on the price agreed to be paid for the purchase of the 12 used + 6 new Rafale, it is estimated that the activation of the decision to acquire six more French fighters will cost the State about 800 million euros. Although the 18 Rafale purchase contract, finalized in December 2020, did not provide for the option of purchasing additional fighters, the procedures for completing the deal will probably not be delayed as the new deal will be based on the model of the existing deal.
Perhaps the main reason why Rafale is considered a "game changer" is their weapons. The Mica, Exocet and Scalp missiles that can be carried by the Mirage 2000-5 will also be "worn" by the Rafale. The market for Meteor missiles is expected to make an even bigger difference in favor of the Greek wings. The first four flying Air Force officers selected to train at Rafale are already at the Mont de Marsan base in France. Starting with theoretical training in the handling of twin-engine French fighters, they will continue with lessons in simulators and then start flying.
These are pilots with much more than 500 flight hours each in Mirage and Air Force F-16s, who were selected for the team of first top gun pilots who will be trained to operate the Rafale and then become the first Greek trainers in the twin-engine French fighters for the next pilots. At the base of Mont de Marsan is the team of 10 Air Force technicians who will undertake the very critical field of maintenance and support in the territory of the new French fighters.
The "naval battle" for the new ships
By the end of May, the decision will be made for the four new frigates of the Navy, shipyards that will go with the modernization of the four frigates MEKO type of the Navy, while the supply of two more frigates in 2022-2023 is foreseen as an intermediate solution. to meet the needs of the Fleet.
"We are waiting for the answer and the prices that the Americans and the Italians will offer in order to gather all the proposals and make the decision", said to "THEMA" a person with knowledge of the process for the selection of the company that will undertake the construction of the four new frigates for the Navy. This is a colossal project that can reach 5 billion euros (along with the modernization of the frigates "Hydra", "Spetsai", "Psara" and "Salamis" and the two ships of the intermediate solution).
With today's data, there does not seem to be any "superman" who makes someone an undisputed favorite. The proposals of the Netherlands, the United States and then France and Britain seem to have the upper hand. The Dutch price from 700-900 million each of the offered frigates and commit to deliver in 30 months the two ships of the intermediate solution. The French proposal for 4 Belh @ rra (or FDI) with modernization of the four MEKOs and free concession of the French frigates "Jean Bart" and "Latouche Treville" costs a little over 4 billion euros. The Germans offer the A200 or A300 frigates, with an alternative to two 214 type submarines at a price of 4-6 billion euros, but do not offer an intermediate solution. Final prices for American and Italian frigates are expected.
The four Spanish F-110 frigates cost around 5 billion euros. A competitive price is offered by the British, who cost the four Arrowhead frigates around 2 billion euros, but without their weapons. Approximately 110 million euros will be allocated for the purchase of 36 heavy-duty torpedoes for German submarines type 214 ("Papanikolis"). which offered the Navy superiority after being proved "invisible" by Turkish frigates during the "Oruc Reis" crisis. At the same time, in 2021, the delivery of the seven American anti-submarine helicopters of the Romeo type begins, with a total cost of approximately 500 million euros.
Συνολικά 24 τα γαλλικά μαχητικά που θα πετούν πάνω από το Αρχιπέλαγος - Μέχρι το τέλος Μαΐου και οι οριστικές αποφάσεις για τις 4 νέες φρεγάτες - Ποια είναι τα δεδομένα κάθε πρότασης - Kαι καινούργιες τορπίλες για τα γερμανικά υποβρύχια
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