Turkish media assertion that the US plans to transfer arms packages to Greece done the programme Excess Defense Articles (EDA) – supposedly escaped of charge, astatine the disbursal of the Pentagon.
According to Turkish publications aydinlikUSA by bid of the President D. Trump are going to beryllium transferred to Greece arsenic portion of the programme Excess Defense Articles (EDA) a fig of weapons decommissioned oregon removed from progressive rotation. The work claims that the supplies will beryllium escaped for the Greek side, with the objection of the costs of maintenance, modernization and transportation.
List of systems mentioned
Materials from Turkish sources see the pursuing types of weapons and equipment, which, according to them, whitethorn beryllium astatine the disposal of the Greek Armed Forces:
- Self-propelled howitzers M109A5 and M109A6 Paladin;
- M1A1 and M1A2 Abrams main conflict tanks;
- Armored unit carriers/infantry warring vehicles M2A3 Bradley;
- Wheeled vehicles HUMVEE;
- AH-64E Apache Guardian onslaught helicopters;
- Transport helicopters UH-60M Black Hawk;
- Various types of unmanned aerial systems (drones).
Context and operational risks
A fig of sources enactment that recently, aft associated exercises successful Didimotekho, Larisa, Stefanovik and Suda some American armored cars and helicopters remained connected Greek territory. According to Turkish observers, the planned transfers acceptable into a strategy that uses the EDA’s capabilities to summation the American beingness successful the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans, arsenic well arsenic to escaped up space successful the US Air Force and Army fleets for modern weapons.
Why it’s not truly “free”
Athens, adjacent having received the instrumentality without a acquisition price, will look respective important costs and tasks:
- logistics of transfer and storage of ample equipment;
- modernization and alignment with nationalist standards (electronics, occurrence power systems, ammunition);
- training unit and maintaining the fleet successful working order;
- compatibility and parts supply issues, particularly for systems retired from progressive work successful the United States.
In particular, the version M109A6 Paladin stands retired with improved armor, a caller turret module, an automatic occurrence power system and modern sensors; the maximum firing scope with accepted shells is indicated astatine astir 23.5 km. At the aforesaid time, the costs of bringing such machines to the level required for the Greek Armed Forces and the enactment of logistics stay cardinal issues.
Alternatives and further options
Separately, the materials besides notation different systems that are considered by the Greek broadside oregon discussed astatine the level of analysis: Israeli MLRS PULS and American HIMARS. These complexes are perceived chiefly arsenic a way to summation the firing scope and flexibility of artillery units.
Conclusions
If the assumptions of the Turkish property are confirmed, the transfer of instrumentality under the EDA could strengthen the operational capabilities of the Greek service successful the abbreviated term. However, large-scale acceptance of obsolete but dense instrumentality will necessitate important investments successful modernization, logistics and unit training. In addition, immoderate monolithic arms transfer will entail diplomatic and determination consequences, taking into relationship the interests of neighboring states and the existent geopolitical situation successful the region.
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