Amid various doubts that seemed to point toward purchasing new F-35 fighters at the expense of the upgrade program, the Hellenic Air Force has ultimately decided to continue moving forward with modernizing its fleet of F-16 Block 50 fighters to the Block 70 standard, a fleet that currently consists of around 38 aircraft. According to local media reports, the decision already has the approval of the current Greek government, which chose to follow the recommendations submitted by the Air Force regarding the future of these jets.
Going into further detail, it is expected that the parliamentary committee responsible for evaluating the program’s viability could give the green light early next year. Greek authorities intend for this to happen as quickly as possible so that the relevant procedures with the United States can begin. Specifically, the goal is to add the remaining 38 F-16 Block 50s to the already existing queue of 83 F-16 Block 52+ aircraft selected for modernization to the Viper standard, with the aim of having a consolidated fleet of 121 such aircraft by the end of the decade.
On another note, local reports indicate that Athens is already preparing to send the Letter of Request (LOR) to Washington to formalize the decision, specifying technical requirements, desired armaments, and the spare parts packages necessary to ensure operational readiness. Once this step is taken, the path will be open for a subsequent Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), which would define costs, work schedules, and associated matters.
It is important to highlight that the financial aspect remains one of the biggest obstacles Athens faces in carrying out the modernization of its F-16 fleet. It is worth recalling that the initial U.S. offer suggested a cost of roughly €1.8 billion, a figure considered too high by Greek authorities. This forced the Air Force to seek ways to obtain additional funding through the sale of equipment being replaced on its Block 50 and Block 52+ aircraft, while negotiating teams worked to secure price reductions from their U.S. counterparts. As of now, the cost has been lowered to around €1 billion, a figure seen as more feasible.
Returning to the earlier point, it is also necessary to note that if Greece allocates these funds to upgrading its F-16s, it will be unable to proceed with purchasing new F-35 stealth fighters in the near future. As reported in mid-September, Athens had considered the F-35 purchase as an alternative to the modernization program, although this would have resulted in acquiring only 8 to 12 new aircraft instead of the 38 included in the upgrade. Had this path been chosen, Greece would have expanded its already-ordered fleet of 20 fifth-generation F-35s, which are expected to begin delivery in 2028.
With the new course set, the Hellenic Air Force is shaping its future around a fleet of 200 operational combat aircraft, combining fourth- and fifth-generation platforms. This total considers the 83 F-16 Block 52+ jets already being upgraded, the 38 Block 50s that would now join them, 24 Rafale F3R fighters, the aforementioned 20 F-35As, and a remaining mix of Mirage 2000-5 and F-16 Block 30 jets that will be retained to support this transition phase.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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