Rafale

Greece's parliament on Tuesday approved a 3 billion euro ($3.4 billion) agreement for three new French-made frigates that defense officials say are vital for addressing ongoing tensions with neighboring Turkey.

The Greek government is looking for ways to counter Turkish drones, seeking anti-drone technologies from Israel as well as mulling diplomatic efforts.

Even though, it recently received six Rafale fighter jets from France, the acquisition of those airplanes did not ease Greece's concerns over Turkey's unmanned aerial vehicles and armed drones, according to the Greek media outlets.

Turkey's unmanned aerial vehicles, flying in a large area stretching from the Evros (Meriç) River on the common border in the north to the Greek island of Meis, or Kastellorizo, have become a "headache," for Greece, Evangelos Yeorgusis, a retired Greek general, has said.

Following his meetings with US President Joe Biden Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has come under fire from the opposition Republican People's Party and a segment of the Turkish media over his failure to secure a US commitment on how Ankara will recoup the $1.4bn that it has paid for the purchase o

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' talks in Paris today and tomorrow with French President Emmanul Macron are of exceptional significance politically, geostrategically, diplomatically, and militarily at a time that Greece continues to face a military threat from Turkey

Turkey expects Greece to adopt peaceful political solutions rather than aggressive ones, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on July 27, calling for the disarmament of the Greek islands that have non-military status through treaties.

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18 Rafale fighter jet being prepared for the Hellenic Air Force

Greece recently agreed to obtain 18 Rafale fighter jets

French billionaire Olivier Dassault, a politician and scion of the Dassault aircraft-making family, was killed in a helicopter crash on March 7.

Dassault, 69 and a father-of-three, died around 6 pm (1700 GMT) when his helicopter crashed near the upmarket coastal resort of Deauville in northwest France, parliamentary and investigation sources told AFP.

A Rafale fighter jet of the French Air Force taxis on the tarmac during a joint military drill at Tanagra military air base, north of Athens, Thursday. Greek and French military leaders observed an exercise by French Rafales following a 2.3-billion-euro deal for Greece to buy 18 of the jets. [EPA]