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Greece strongly objects to possible French Meteor missile sale to Turkey

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Greece has voiced strong opposition to Turkey’s potential acquisition of Meteor missiles along with Eurofighter jets, with Defense Minister Nikos Dendias demanding an explanation from the French ambassador to Greece, the Greek Kathimerini newspaper reported.

Dendias’s meeting with French Ambassador Laurence Auer has come amid growing concerns in Athens over Turkey’s potential acquisition of Meteor, a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by MBDA, a European consortium.

The potential sale of 40 Eurofighter jets equipped with Meteor missiles to Turkey has strained relations among Britain, France and Greece.

According to French newspaper La Tribune, Ankara has made its planned acquisition of the Eurofighter Typhoons on the condition that they are equipped with Meteor missiles.

Paris has veto power over the sale of these missiles, jointly developed by six European countries: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

During the meeting, which was coordinated with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, Dendias demanded official clarification regarding the reported missile sale.

“I conveyed to the French ambassador Greece’s strong opposition to such a prospect, which is incompatible with the excellent strategic relations our two countries have enjoyed until now,” Dendias wrote on X.

The diplomatic tension comes despite a strong defense partnership between Athens and Paris. Under a mutual defense agreement signed in September 2021, the two nations pledged military support if either is attacked by a third country.

The pact has led to significant arms deals, including Greece’s purchase of 24 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation as well as French frigates.

The Meteor, developed and manufactured by MBDA, represents a collaboration between Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden. The European consortium is headquartered in France.

According to MBDA’s website, the Meteor missile features a ramjet motor system that provides continuous thrust until target intercept, creating what the company calls “the largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile system.”

The beyond-visual-range missile can reach speeds exceeding Mach 4 and has a range of more than 100 kilometers. Its advanced capabilities make it particularly effective against high-value targets like refueling tankers and early warning aircraft operating behind front lines.

Turkey plans to integrate these missiles into its proposed fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons while simultaneously developing Gökhan, a domestic alternative to the Meteor system.

In a television interview on Wednesday, Mitsotakis said he had not been notified about a French decision to supply the Meteor to Turkey.

However, he said it was possible Ankara had expressed its interest and that the defense minister may have acted “preventively” by contacting the French ambassador.

The Élysée Palace had not commented on the matter at the time of writing.

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