Date: October 8, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
Greece has agreed to a U.S. defence package worth up to $4 billion that will provide advanced missiles and bombs, upgrade additional F-16 fighter jets and support the country's broader military modernization program, according to two senior Greek officials who spoke to Reuters.
The agreement was reached following U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Athens and forms part of Greece's long-term effort to strengthen its armed forces. Greek and U.S. officials formally announced $4 billion in Foreign Military Sales during the sixth Greece-U.S. Strategic Dialogue on October 7.
A senior Greek Defence Ministry official told Reuters that the package includes advanced missiles and bombs for Greece's F-16 Viper and F-35 fighter aircraft, as well as equipment and support for its Black Hawk helicopters. The agreement also includes the modernization of 37 older F-16 Block 50 aircraft to the more advanced Viper configuration.
Greece already has a major F-16 modernization program underway. It is upgrading about 82 F-16 aircraft to the Viper standard and now plans to modernize another 37 Block 50 jets, at an estimated cost of about $1 billion.
The new purchases are part of a much broader Greek defence plan that is expected to involve roughly €28 billion in military spending through 2036. That strategy includes the purchase of 20 U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, 35 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and development of a multilayer air-defence system known as the “Achilles Shield.”
Greek officials said the newly agreed spending is largely incorporated into the country's existing multiyear defence plan and will be spread over several years. A senior Greek Foreign Ministry official said the arrangement would therefore not place additional immediate pressure on the country's finances.
The package comes as Greece continues to modernize its military following years of austerity associated with the country's 2009-2018 debt crisis. Athens has increased defence spending in recent years, with Greece now allocating nearly 3.5% of its gross domestic product to defence, according to Reuters.
Greece's defence planning has also been shaped by its long-running tensions with neighbouring Turkey. Both countries are NATO members but have longstanding disputes involving maritime boundaries, airspace and other security issues in the eastern Mediterranean.
The military relationship between Greece and the United States has expanded alongside those wider security concerns. Greece provides the United States and NATO with important military facilities and occupies a strategically significant position between Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Black Sea.
During Rubio's visit, the United States and Greece also announced a new security arrangement focused on counterterrorism information sharing between their law-enforcement agencies. The agreement is intended to improve cooperation in responding to common security threats.
The two governments said their wider strategic dialogue would strengthen defence cooperation, trade and investment, energy security and technological collaboration. Greece will also participate in the U.S. National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program with Florida, while the two countries agreed to enhance military interoperability through the provision of Stryker vehicles to Greece.
The planned acquisition of additional weapons also reflects Greece's effort to increase the capabilities of its existing aircraft fleet rather than relying solely on new fighter purchases. Its F-16 Viper program gives older aircraft upgraded radar, avionics and weapons capabilities, while the future F-35 fleet will provide Greece with a newer generation of combat aircraft.
Greek officials have said the modernization program is designed to strengthen the country's overall defence capabilities and interoperability with NATO allies. The government has emphasized that the spending will be managed over an extended period rather than creating a sudden increase in annual defence costs.
The agreement also comes at a time when European NATO members are increasing defence spending in response to heightened security concerns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and broader instability in the Middle East. Greece's geographic position gives it an additional strategic role in the Mediterranean and nearby regions.
The United States and Greece have also been expanding cooperation beyond conventional military equipment. Their latest strategic dialogue included discussions on energy, critical infrastructure, advanced technology, cybersecurity and maritime security.
The $4 billion defence agreement therefore represents one part of a much larger effort by Athens and Washington to deepen their strategic relationship. For Greece, the purchases will provide additional weapons and modernization for aircraft and helicopters while supporting a long-term plan to rebuild and expand military capabilities.
For the United States, the agreement further strengthens a relationship with a NATO ally that plays an important role in the eastern Mediterranean and southeastern Europe.
The procurement will be implemented over several years, with Greece continuing its existing F-16 modernization program while preparing for the arrival of its new F-35 aircraft and additional Black Hawk helicopters.