Hellenic Air Force: Difference between revisions

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{{Hellenic Air Force}}

 

The Hellenic Air Force is one of the three branches of the [[Greek military|Hellenic Armed Forces]], and its mission is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the [[Hellenic Army]] and the [[Hellenic Navy]], and to provide humanitarian aid in Greece and around the world. The Hellenic Air Force includes approximately 33,000 active troops, of whom 11,750 are career [[officer]]s, 14,000 are professional [[Airman|soldiers]] (ΕΠ.ΟΠ.), 7,250 are volunteer conscripts, and 1,100 are women. The motto of the Hellenic Air Force is the [[ancient Greek]] phrase {{Lang|el|Αἰὲν Ὑψικρατεῖν}} ({{transliteration|el|Aièn Hypsikrateîn}}, 'Always Dominate the Heights'), and the HAF emblem represents a flying eagle in front of the Hellenic Air Force [[roundel]]. The General Air Staff (GEA) is based at the Papagou Camp in the Municipality of Filothei - Psychiko of the Prefecture of Attica.

[[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>

After the end of the Greek Civil War in November 1950, Greece sent seven [[Douglas C-47 Dakota]] transport aircraft of the 13th Transport Aircraft Squadron to [[South Korea]] to assist the [[United Nations Forces in the Korean War|United Nations]] (UN). Greek aircraft participated in many battles including [[Battle of Chosin]] and operated in Korea until May 1955. Greek pilots flew thousands of missions including air evacuations, personnel transport, intelligence gathering, and supply flights. In 1952 Greece joined [[NATO]], and the Air Force was rebuilt and organised according to NATO standards. New aircraft, including jets, were introduced.

 

 

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==

===SAAB GlobalEye===

 

===F-16V===

 

===F-35===

 

On 27 January 2024, it was announced that the USA approved the sale of 40 F-35's to Greece. These will replace ageing aircraft such as the F-4. This was on the same day as Turkey's approval to buy 40 F-16V's

 

===C-390===

The [[Lockheed C-130|C130-B and C130-H]] variants are coming to the end of their service lives. These need to be replaced soon. As announced in January 2023, the Hellenic Air Force is in talks to potentially buy the [[Embraer C-390 Millennium]] from Embraer. Another potential option is to buy retired C130J's from the [[Royal Air Force]].

 

 

===Rafale===

==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.

 

===The Balkans===

 

===North Africa and Persian Gulf===

 

 

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>

{| class="wikitable"

! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|Aircraft

! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;"|Type

! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Variant

|-

! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7"| [[Military aircraft#Combat aircraft|Combat Aircraft]]

|-

| [[Dassault Rafale]]

| [[France]]

|-

| France

| multirole

 

|-

|[[fighter-bomber]]

| 33<ref name="World Air Forces 2024">{{cite news |last = |first = |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=98881|title = World Air Forces 2024|newspaper = Flight Global|publisher= flightglobal.com |year=2023 |doi = |access-date= 6 February 2024}}</ref>

|-

! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7"| [[Airborne early warning and control|AWACS]]

|-

| [[Brazil]]

|4<ref name="World Air Forces 2024"/>

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

| [[Alenia C-27J Spartan|Alenia C-27J]]

| [[Italy]]

|

|-

| [[Gulfstream V]]

| United States

| 1<ref name="Equipment of the Hellenic Air Force">{{cite web |title=Equipment |url=https://www.haf.gr/en/equipment/ |website=HAF official website |accessdate=23 February 2019}}</ref>

|

|-

| [[Embraer EMB-135]]

| Brazil

| VIP transport

| [[Embraer EMB-135#Variants|135LR/BJ]]

|-

|-

|-

| United States

|

|-

| United States

|

|

|-

|-

|-

|

|-

|-

|

|-

|3

|-

! colspan="7" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|UAVs]]

|-

| Greece

|-

|[[IAI Eitan|IAI Eitan - Heron TP]]

|[[Israel]]

|3

|-

| United States

| SeaGuardian

|}

 

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

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!colspan=5 style="align:center; background:lavender"|[[Anti-aircraft warfare|Air Defence Artillery]]

|-

|-

|}

 

 

==Aircraft markings and camouflage==

 

Originally, many aircraft in service retained the basic colour scheme they were acquired in. Prior to World War II, combat aircraft were given a green and brown top scheme with white or sky blue underside, similar to the [[Royal Air Force]]. After the war, jet fighter aircraft such as the Sabre and Starfighter would serve in a polished metal scheme. Later, most aircraft received green and brown camouflage again, consistent with the United States Air Force's South East Asia scheme, referred to as Vietnam camouflage in Greece. A-7 Corsair IIs would be some of the last aircraft to fly with this scheme, retaining it until their retirement, long after all-over grey schemes had become the normal application for Greek aircraft. C-130 Hercules transports which were used in south-east Asia early in their careers were repainted in an overall grey theme.