ARMAMENTS

According to the Ministry of National Defence, the Defence Minister, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, addressed yesterday, Wednesday July 28, 2021, the members of the Special Standing Committee on Armament Programs and Contracts of the Hellenic Parliament. The Minister briefed the latter on the activation of armament programs during a meeting held at “President Athanasios Tsaldaris” hall.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Alkiviadis Stefanis, attended the meeting and was accompanied by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Air Marshal Georgios Blioumis, the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis, the General Director of the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments, Vice Admiral (ret.) Aristidis Alexopoulos, and the General Director of Civil Defence and International Relations, Dr. Konstantinos Balomenos.

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During the meeting and following the thorough briefing by the Political and Military Leadership of the Armed Forces, the members of the Special Standing Committee approved the following:

– Activation of the program for follow-on support of helicopters OH-58D “Kiowa Warrior”.

– Activation of the refinancing program of LOA for the support of air means of the Hellenic Army.

– Activation of the program for follow-on support of helicopters CH-47D “Chinook”.

– Activation of a program for concluding an agreement on the maintenance of two C-130 transport aircraft.

– Certification of program’s decision regarding the control and maintenance of RAM Guided Missiles.

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Due to the need to end the meeting in two and a half hours, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, accepted the request of SYRIZA and KINAL representatives to hold a detailed discussion on the upgrade program of the “F-16 Block50” fighter jets at the next meeting of the Committee to be held in late August or early September. 

It is noted that although this program could be approved by a majority, the Government’s intention is to provide all the information required in order to shield the Armed Forces under conditions of absolute transparency.

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