The increasing European presence of the F-35
bolsters interoperability
FORT
WORTH, Texas, July 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Greece government finalized its intention to
procure 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft by signing a
Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) through a U.S. government
Foreign Military Sale. The LOA also includes an option for 20
additional aircraft.
"We are excited to welcome Greece into the F-35 enterprise," said Air
Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt,
director and program executive officer, F-35 Joint Program Office.
"The F-35 will provide exceptional capability to the Hellenic Air
Force, build interoperability between our allies and strengthen the
combat effectiveness for all of NATO."
"For several decades, the Hellenic Air Force has been our
partner, and it is our honor to continue that relationship as
Greece becomes the 19th nation to
join the F-35 program," said Bridget
Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin's vice president and general
manager of the F-35 program. "The F-35 is the only fighter suitable
to strengthen Greece's sovereignty
and operational capability with allies."
The F-35 is rapidly becoming the NATO standard fighter of
choice, offering unparalleled interoperability with NATO and other
allied assets. This capability stands as a significant advantage
for the U.S. and its allies, ensuring strategic superiority for
decades. By the 2030s, more than 600 F-35s will work together from
more than 10 European countries, including two full U.S. F-35
squadrons stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath.
"The F-35's growing presence across Europe is a powerful testament of
alliance-based deterrence and is setting the foundation for NATO
and allied nations' next generation air power capability,"
said Mara Motherway, Lockheed Martin vice president of
Strategy and Business Development.
The F-35 plays a crucial role in deterring threats and
disrupting adversaries' plans and actions. The mere presence of the
F-35 strengthens Greece and the
joint force, ensuring regional stability and safeguarding the
sovereignty of allied airspace. As the battlespace evolves,
connectivity becomes increasingly vital. The F-35 is poised to play
a critical role in the joint force, contributing significantly to
the 21st Century Security® battlespace.
To date, the F-35 operates from 32 bases worldwide, with 10
nations operating F-35s on home soil. There are nearly 1,000
aircraft operational with more than 860,000 flight hours
fleetwide.
Further strengthening our international partnership and
bolstering Greece and NATO's
defense capabilities, the Hellenic Armed Forces also operate F-16s,
C-130s and Hawk helicopters. It is currently upgrading a portion of
its F-16 fleet to the advanced "Viper" configuration while its
Hercules fleet supports critical airlift mission requirements.
Greece recently signed an LOA to
acquire 35 UH-60M Black Hawks in addition to its existing S-70B
fleet and newly acquired MH-60R maritime helicopters.
For additional information, visit www.f35.com.
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving
innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain
mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the
delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve
always stay ahead of ready. More information at
Lockheedmartin.com.
Please follow @LMNews on X for the latest announcements and news
across the corporation.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greece-becomes-newest-member-of-the-f-35-lightning-ii-global-alliance-302206620.html
SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics