F-35

Greece has approved the purchase of 35 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters from U.S defence contractor Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), opens new tab in an effort to modernize its armed forces, two people with knowledge of the deal told Reuters.

"The deal passed by the parliament's committee is to buy 35 helicopters for 1.15 billion euros ($1.24 billion)," a government official told Reuters.

Greek-American relations hinge and will always hinge on Turkey. Despite attempts to idealize the situation, the reality is that this connection is undeniable. In the latest example underscoring this truth, Washington purposely delayed approving Greece's request to purchase F-35 fighter jets until the completion of the F-16 deal with Turkey.

The United States is prepared to let Turkey back into its F-35 fighter jet program as long as the issue of its acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system is resolved, Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland has told CNN Turk. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday referred to the US State Department's approval of the sale of up to 40 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece, as well as the accompanying letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying that these developments "confirm the strategic depth of relations between the US and Greece."

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed on Saturday the US State Department's decision to approve the sale of up to 40 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece.

Mitsotakis described the approval as "an important day for our national defense and for Greek diplomacy." He also received a letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in relation to the decision.

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.

The US State Department has approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets and related ammunition and equipment to the Czech Republic, the Pentagon announced yesterday, as quoted by Reuters.

The deal is worth 5.62 billion dollars.

US Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has approved the sale of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jets to Greece, adding the last signature needed before the deal can go through, Hellas Journal reported on Thursday.

The U.S. agreed Monday to sell Türkiye $259 million in software it has long sought to upgrade its fleet of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. State Department approval of the sale comes about two weeks after Türkiye dropped its objections to Finland joining NATO.