Hellenic Air Force: Difference between revisions

[[File:335 (Hellenic) Squadron RAF Hurricane pilots Egypt WWII IWM CM 3362.jpg|thumb|200px|Greek pilots of the [[335th Squadron (HAF)|335th Fighter Squadron]] in Egypt, 1942.|alt=]]

In 1930, the Aviation Ministry was founded, establishing the Air Force as the third branch of the [[Hellenic Armed Forces]]. The Hellenic Army Air Service and Hellenic Naval Air Service were merged into a single service, the Royal Hellenic Air Force. In 1931, the [[Hellenic Air Force Academy]], the ''[[Icarus]] School'' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: ''Σχολή Ικάρων''), was founded.

 

In 1939, an order for 24 [[Bloch MB.150|Marcel Bloch MB.151]] fighter aircraft was placed, but only nine of the aircraft reached Greece, since the outbreak of [[World War II]] prevented the French from completing the order. The aircraft entered service in the 24th Pursuit Squadron (MD – ''Moira Dioxis'') of the air force.

 

 

 

 

During the German occupation of Greece, the Air Force was rebuilt under the expatriated Greek Air Force Ministry based in [[Cairo]]. Three squadrons were built, operating under the command of the British [[RAF]]. These squadrons were the [[13th Squadron (HAF)|13th Light Bombing Squadron]] flying [[Avro Anson]]s, [[Bristol Blenheim]]s, and [[Martin Baltimore]]s, and the [[335th Squadron (HAF)|335]] and [[336th Bomber Squadron (HAF)|336]] Fighting Squadrons flying [[Hawker Hurricane|Hawker Hurricane I and IIs]] and [[Spitfire|Spitfire V]] types. The RHAF squadrons in the [[Middle East]] flew a variety of missions, including convoy patrols, anti-submarine search, offensive patrols, reconnaissance, attack and interception of enemy aircraft. In Summer 1943, the Greek squadrons participated in the attack against the German Wehrmacht on the island of [[Crete]], and then from May to November 1944 in Italy. During those years, seventy Greek pilots were lost.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.haf.gr/en/history/history/history_7.asp|title=Hellenic Air Force history – Middle East|publisher=HAF.gr|access-date=6 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718032240/http://www.haf.gr/en/history/history/history_7.asp|archive-date=18 July 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Post-war developments (1950–1970)===

[[File:RF-84F Thunderflash (14064991190).jpg|thumb|Hellenic Air Force RF-84F Thunderflash in 1988.|alt=]]

 

 

In the late 1960s, the RHAF acquired new jet aircraft. These included the [[Convair F-102 Delta Dagger]] (in service 1969–1975), the [[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter|Lockheed F-104G Starfighter]], and the [[Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter]]. The F-104 and F-5 stayed in service until the mid- to late 1980s.

 

During the [[Greek economic crisis]] (2008-2018), budget cuts forced HAF to ground many of its F-16s due to lack of spare parts and maintenance. Eventually in 2015, Greece placed an order for provision of spare parts in support of its F-16, F/RF-4E, C-130H/B, C-27J, T-6A/C, and other aircraft with systems / sub-systems of U.S. origin. The estimated cost of this order was $160 million. In addition, some long-awaited programmes were rescheduled for the future. The HAF modernisation programme estimated in 2007 that a purchase of forty-five advance training aircraft, fifteen [[search and rescue]] (SAR) helicopters, and forty-to-sixty new fighters was necessary. Some of these programmes were either postponed, or eventually cancelled.

 

==Developing programmes==

 

===F-16V===

 

===F-35===

On 30 June 2022, Greece's prime minister confirmed that the country has sent a request to the United States for the purchase of twenty F-35s, with the option of buying a second group of jets also being examined. The expected delivery date is 2027–2028.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-submit-request-purchase-20-lockheed-f-35-fighter-jets-soon-sources-2022-06-30/|title=Greece proceeds with purchase of 20 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets|date=30 June 2022|access-date=2022-01-07|website= Reuters.com}}</ref>

 

 

===C-390===

==Regional role==

===Turkey===

 

The regional balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean was inevitably affected during the [[Greek government-debt crisis]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.balkanalysis.com/greece/2012/02/19/greece-and-turkey-offensive-and-defensive-balance-of-air-power-in-2012/|title=Greece and Turkey: offensive and defensive balance of air power in 2012|website=Balkanalysis.com|access-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109064055/http://www.balkanalysis.com/greece/2012/02/19/greece-and-turkey-offensive-and-defensive-balance-of-air-power-in-2012/|archive-date=9 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, it was subsequently restored, influenced by negative developments in Turkey's F-35 programme in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mehta|first=Aaron|date=17 July 2019|title=Turkey officially kicked out of F-35 program, costing US half a billion dollars|url=https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/07/17/turkey-officially-kicked-out-of-f-35-program/|website=DefenseNews.com|publisher=Defense News|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> rise of diplomatic tensions in [[Turkey–United States relations|Turkey-US bilateral relations]] during the same period,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Erdogan: US scrapping F-35 jet deal with Turkey would be robbery|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/erdogan-scrapping-35-jet-deal-turkey-robbery-190704064237370.html|website=AlJazeera.com|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network]]|access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref> and at the same time, the decision of Greece to direct funds towards the upgrade of its existing F-16 and Mirage 2000 fleet, and eventually to acquire new [[Fourth-generation fighter#4.5 generation|4.5 generation fighters]] in 2020. By 2023, several Rafale jets have been delivered, as well as the upgrade of F16's to the Viper variant.

 

===Cyprus===

 

===The Balkans===

 

In December 2020, Greece and Israel came closer to a €1.4&nbsp;billion agreement over twenty years,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Israel, Greece in talks to establish €1.4B pilot training school|url=https://www.defenseworld.net/news/27256/Israel__Greece_in_Talks_to_Establish____1_4B_Pilot_Training_School#.X-U3KIHfVvI|website=DefenseWorld.net|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref> for the creation of the International Air Force Training Centre (IAFTC) in the Greek city of [[Kalamata]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greece to open new air force training academy in Kalamata, Vassilis Nedos|url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/253938/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-to-open-new-air-force-training-academy-in-kalamata|website=eKathimerini.com|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Antonopoulos|first=Paul|date=23 June 2020|title=Greece to create International Air Force Flight Training Centre in Kalamata|url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/06/23/greece-to-create-international-air-force-flight-training-centre-in-kalamata/|website=GreekCityTimes.com|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref> The IAFTC will provide advanced training to new Greek and Israeli military pilots, as well as lease services to international air force customers, utilising the [[Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master]] jet trainer<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greece to open new international military flight training school in Kalamata|url=https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/2020/07/greece-to-open-new-international-flight-training-school.html|website=BlogBeforeFlight.net|publisher=Blog Before Flight|date=July 2020|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref> that will replace the [[North American T-2 Buckeye]]. The main Israeli company committed to the investment is [[Elbit Systems]]. The International Air Force Training Centre (IAFTC) officially opened in October 2022, with fourteen [[Beechcraft T-6 Texan II|Beechcraft T-6]] single-engine turboprop aircraft, with M-346 and additional T-6 to join in the near future.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kokkinidis|first=Tasos|date=21 October 2022|title=Greece and Israel open flight school in Kalamata|url=https://greekreporter.com/2022/10/21/greece-israel-open-flight-school/|website=GreekReporter.com|access-date=12 November 2022}}</ref>

 

==Equipment==

===Aircraft===

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===Retired===

 

===Air defence===

!colspan=5 style="align:center; background:lavender"|[[surface-to-air missile|Surface-to-Air Missile]] (SAM)

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|[[RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]]||[[United States]]||SAM system||20 launchers<ref name=":03"/>||Part of the [[Oerlikon GDF|Skyguard]] air defence system

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|[[Rheinmetall Mk 20 Rh-202]]<ref name=":03"/>||[[Germany]]||Anti-aircraft gun||n/a||

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