Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II procurement

Information came to light recently indicating that the United States may, under certain conditions, review its decision not to supply Turkey with F-35 fighter jets.

Greece formally approved an offer to buy 20 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from the United States as part of a major defense overhaul, government officials said Thursday.

Lockheed Martin welcomed Greece into the F-35 program on Thursday, announcing that Athens had sent the signed Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the procurement of 20 fighter jets.

Athens has officially signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) with Washington for the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed on Thursday.

"We are building a powerful military force by purchasing the most advanced fighter jet in the world," he said during a visit to the Elefsina Air Base west of Athens.

The US government's letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the Greek request for the procurement of an F-35 fighter squadron is expected to be submitted for approval to a special committee of Greek Parliament in the coming week.

The green light given by the United States to Greece's acquisition of the F-35 multi-role fighter and to the sale of F-16 fighters and upgrade kits to Turkey highlights the fact that the two nominal NATO allies are actually facing each other, vying for supremacy in the air, land and sea.

US President Joe Biden's administration on Friday formally informed Congress of its intention to proceed with a $8.6-billion deal to sell 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece.

Romania plans to buy 32 latest-generation F-35 fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin for 6.5 billion dollars, the defense ministry announced on Tuesday. 

Bucharest increased its defense spending to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product this year from 2 percent last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The American commitment to reinforce Greece with fifth-generation fighter jets, along with the sale of a number of more sophisticated F-16s, is indicative, at least for now, of Washington's wish to maintain a certain balance of air power in the Aegean.

Romania will purchase F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from the US, the Supreme National Defense Council decided at its meeting today, BTA reported.

Members of Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense approved the so-called "Concept for achieving operational air defense capability with fifth-generation multi-role aircraft", announced the administration of President Klaus Iohannis.