Greece to Purchase 30 F-16 Warplanes and 333 Leopard Tanks

Athens News Agency, The Government Foreign Affairs and Defence Council (KYSEA) decided to purchase 30 F-16 Block-52 warplanes with the option of purchasing an additional 10 of this type to meet the air force's immediate operational needs, during its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday. It also approved the procurement of 333 Leopard tanks.  
 
The agreement for the purchase of the aircraft will be signed by the governments of Greece and the United States, while that for the tanks between the governments of Greece and Germany, as the defence minister clarified.  
 
The cost of the warplanes, in current prices according to the minister, amounts to 1.1 billion euros but the final amount will depend on negotiations with the American side and offset benefits will concern infrastructures and support for the rest of the F-16s belonging to the Greek air force.  
 
As regards the new fighter aircraft, whose procurement lies in the year 2009, the minister said the proposal by the defence ministry is for the purchase of 30 new aircraft with an option for the purchase of another 10. The minister clarified that the type of aircraft has not been decided.  
 
KYSEA also approved the new structure of forces and the new structure for the armed forces' administration to enable them to become more flexible and effective and to have a greater rapid reaction ability, as the minister said, while he also appointed the new leadership of military justice.