Greece Approves $324M Tank Order, Armed Forces Restructuring
Jul 20, 2005 06:46 EDT
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The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) has approved a bilateral agreement with the German government for the procurement of 333 used German army Leopard-1 and Leopard-2 tanks. The cost of the tanks is estimated at EUR 270 million (USD $324 Million). Germany has sold a large number of surplus-designated Leopard and Leopard 2 tanks to countries around Europe and Scandanavia. Additional contracts to German industryf for upgrading them to newer configurations often follow close behind. In March 2002, the Hellenic Army of Greece announced that it had selected the Leopard 2 GR, with a requirement for 170 tanks.
In additional news, the KYSEA approved a new command structure for the Greek Armed Forces, designed to make them more flexible and efficient.
Under the new structure, the Armed Forces General Staff remains the only headquarters of all the branches of the armed forces on an operational and strategic level, while all the interbranch commands are converted to operational commands. In addition, a developing interbranch formation is created for rapid reaction on a brigade level on a tactical level, answerable directly to the armed forces chief.
According to national defence ministry sources, the new structure is expected to increase the capacity for rapid reaction, enhance interbranch cooperation and lower operational cost. What this means to analysts is that Greece appears to be embarking on the path of “jointness” and transformation traveled by most modern militaries.
Additional Readings & Sources
- CASR DND 101 – Leopard 1 Tank
- Athens News Agency (July 20/05) – KYSEA approves new command structure for Greek Armed Forces
- Athens News Agency (July 20/05) – Government Foreign Affairs and Defence Council decides to purchase 30 F-16 warplanes and 333 Leopard tanks
