Greece has extended the Rafale fighter acquisition contract by six aircraft, Dassault announced. A first deal, announced in January 2021, included 18 fighter jets, 12 of them transferred from the French Air Force.
The first six Rafales were delivered to the Hellenic Air Force on January 19, 2022. Dassault expects to complete deliveries in the summer of 2023.
A NATO member, Greece currently operates Mirage 2000 jets, also manufactured by Dassault, in addition to former F-4 Phantom fighters. The air force’s largest fleet is, however, the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D, with 153 aircraft.
“This new contract demonstrates the Greek government’s confidence in the Rafale, which is already actively contributing to guaranteeing Greece’s sovereignty and operational independence,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
