Greece formally requests to buy F-35 fighter jets from US

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s prime minister says his country has sent a letter of request to the United States to buy a squadron of F-35 fighter jets. The purchase would be part of ongoing efforts to bolster Greece’s defense capabilities amid continuing tensions with neighboring Turkey. Speaking to reporters in Madrid Thursday during a NATO summit, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece intended to buy a squadron of F-35s with a possible option for a second squadron, but that the aircraft were not expected to be delivered until 2027 or 2028. Neighbors and NATO allies Greece and Turkey have long-running disputes over a series of issues, including territorial claims in the Aegean Sea and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean.