Greek Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, summoned the French ambassador in Athens over a potential sale of Meteor air-to-air missiles to Turkey.
According to Greece, the French missiles could disturb the balance of power with Turkey. Both countries have a difficult history despite being NATO allies.
Dendias said Greece had “strong opposition to such a possibility, which is not in line with the excellent strategic relations between the two countries so far.”
In an interview on Alpha TV on Wednesday night, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said “he had no information” about the possible transfer of missiles to Turkey.
Greece and France signed a Greek-French Defence Agreement in 2021 which stipulates that “Greece and France consult each other at all levels, aiming to form a common understanding on all important decisions affecting their common defence interests and joint actions whenever possible.”
Also in the Agreement between France and Greece: “They shall consult with each other at all levels to develop a common understanding on all major decisions affecting their common defence interests and joint action, whenever possible.”
Each nation pledged to support the other in the event of an attack, including with military assistance.
In recent years, Greece has significantly enhanced its military capabilities through substantial purchases from France, primarily focusing on advanced aircraft —24 Rafale fighter jets, and naval vessels, three Belharra-class frigates.
Following the relevant briefing of Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Georgios Gerapetritis, I met today at the Ministry of National Defence with the Ambassador of France, Ms. Laurence Auer, to request an official explanation regarding… pic.twitter.com/7z4gE57hsM
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) January 29, 2025
A group of European partners, led by the French firm MBDA, created the Meteor missile programme.
The military initiative was established to address the demands of six European countries—the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden.
On its website, the firm calls Meteor “the next generation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) system designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat in the 21st century.”
“This ‘ramjet’ motor provides the missile with thrust all the way to target intercept, providing the largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile system.”
“The fragmentation warhead ensures maximum lethality.”
Such a weapon in the hands of Turkey would be a “game changer” in terms of air superiority according to Greece. Turkey is also negotiating with Germany to buy Eurofighters, which can carry Meteor air-to-air missiles.
Did you know that MBDA Meteor AAM's ramjet can throttle? The Meteor can moderate its thrust over much of its 150 km range, preserving fuel for a last-second burst of energy that affords the missile more manoeuvrability and expands its no-escape zone. Killer! #avgeeks #aviation pic.twitter.com/r30svFNJCD
— Air Power (@RealAirPower1) November 14, 2023
