Washington/Athens: The United States has decided to boost military cooperation with Greece. Under the collaboration, the United States will increase the number of its military bases in Greece. Greece is also preparing to buy four new destroyers from the United States. Besides, the United States is claimed to be strengthening the cooperation given the perceived threat from Turkey to Greece. However, with the increase in military bases in Greece, the United States is also apparently responding to Russia’s deployment in the Black Sea.
The United States has five military bases in Greece. These include naval bases at Souda and Crete islands as well as airbases at Stefanovikeio and Larissa. Among these, the US naval base at the Crete islands was a topic of discussions for the last few months. Also, the United States is preparing to boost military cooperation with Greece and is claimed to be setting up four more military bases in the country. Greece has offered 22 locations as options to the United States for this purpose.
These include Andravida Air Base in western Greece. The United States had used the airbase for air exercises with Greece. There is also the base on Skyros Island. The deployment at the base at this location is believed would give a significant advantage to the United States in the Aegean Sea region. Therefore, as per sources, the United States may consider setting up bases at both locations.
On the other hand, Greece will be purchasing four new destroyers from the United States. Greece will be demanding destroyers capable of reaching speeds of more than 30 nautical miles and a range of 5,000 nautical miles. The Greek media have said its government will be purchasing a Freedom-class Littoral combat ship, a super-advanced destroyer in the US Navy. Neither the US nor the Greek government has made any official announcement in this regard.
Meanwhile, in the last few months, Turkey was making military movements threatening the security of Greece and Cyprus, which are both European countries and NATO member nations. Turkey also is a member of NATO. Nevertheless, the United States, the UK and France had opposed the Turkish movements for the last few months. In a message to Turkey, the United States had held a joint naval exercise with Greece.
A few weeks ago, the US destroyers deployed in Greece had crossed Turkey’s Bosporus Strait. Therefore, the Greek media are claiming that the US-Greece military cooperation is against Turkey. Even so, military analysts say the United States is making moves against Russia by establishing new bases in Greece. The United States is stepping up its deployment in Greece to counter the Russian deployment near the Ukraine border and the Black Sea. In the last few months, the United States has increased the deployment of F-15, F-16, KC-135 tanker aircraft and MQ-9 Reaper drones in Greece.
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