Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a “robust” arms purchase programme and an overhaul of the country’s military amid rising tension with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, reports the South China Morning Post.
What appears to be Greece’s most ambitious military overhaul in nearly two decades was unveiled as it is engaged in a growing stand-off with Turkey over hydrocarbon resources and naval influence in the waters off their coasts.
The bitter row between the Nato allies has roped in other European powers and even sparked fears of more severe conflict.
“The time has come to reinforce the armed forces … these initiatives constitute a robust programme that will become a national shield,” Mitsotakis said in a keynote address in the northern city of Thessaloniki on Saturday.
Mitsotakis said Greece would acquire 18 French-made Rafale warplanes, four multipurpose frigates and four navy helicopters, while also recruiting 15,000 new troops and pouring resources into the national arms industry and cyberattack defence.
New anti-tank weapons, navy torpedoes and air force missiles will be secured, the PM said.
The initiative, which includes upgrades of another existing four frigates, is also designed to create thousands of jobs, he said.
Mitsotakis was believed to have hammered out the programme announced on Saturday after talks with French president Emmanuel Macron during a southern European leaders summit in Corsica this week.