Türkiye set to strengthen military with Eurofighter and potential F-35 deals Greece concerned

Greek media outlets closely monitoring Türkiye’s military developments report that Athens faces significant challenges in preventing the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and Meteor missiles to Türkiye.

Turkish media reports that according to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias discussed defence cooperation between Greece and the UK, as well as security issues in the Eastern Mediterranean, during his visit to Britain earlier this week, per Caliber.Az.

During talks with British Defence Secretary John Healey, Dendias reportedly raised concerns over the potential sale of Meteor-type missiles to Türkiye, seeking ways to block the transaction.

Previous reports indicated that the UK has played a central role in negotiations regarding the sale of Eurofighter jets to Türkiye. The deal is expected to facilitate the transfer of Meteor missiles as well, further strengthening Türkiye’s aerial capabilities.

The article states: “It is well understood in Athens that it is very difficult for the UK government to intervene in such a commercial agreement under current circumstances. This is particularly due to the fact that both the UK and Türkiye are NATO members but not part of the EU, and both seek to deepen their defence industry cooperation.”

Given that the potential agreement is valued at over €5 billion and supports the Eurofighter Typhoon production program, Athens' attempts to block the deal are seen as highly challenging.

Greek media also expressed concern about the possibility of Türkiye rejoining the fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet program, particularly after Donald Trump returned to the US presidency. Such a development would significantly shift the regional military balance.

The report claims that Athens has warned its European partners that Türkiye has a history of modifying and adapting foreign weapon systems for its own use. There is speculation that Türkiye could conduct similar studies on the Meteor missile system, potentially reducing its reliance on Western arms and even positioning itself as a competitor to the European defence industry on the global market.

By Tamilla Hasanova