Greece Air Force receives first 2 of 83 upgraded F16s

Greece's air force on Monday took delivery of a first pair of upgraded F-16 military jets, under a 1.5 billion US dollar programme to modernize its fighter fleet amid increasing tensions with neighboring Turkey. The two F-16s presented at the Tanagra airbase, about 74 kilometres north of Athens, are the first of 83 to be fitted with advanced electronics, radar and weapons capabilities over the next six years by Greece's Hellenic Aerospace Industry, in coordination with US manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The F-16s, developed in the 1970s, are the workhorse of Greece's air force. The country bought a first batch of 40 in 1989, and acquired another 130 over the years. The latest upgrade will bring the planes to the Block 72 variant, which is the most advanced version of the model in service in Europe.