Greece is seeking US approval to acquire AIM-120 AMRAAMs for its F-35 fighters, a move intended to preserve its strategic edge over Turkey in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
The initiative comes as Turkey plans to outfit future Eurofighters with Meteor missiles, prompting Athens to argue that the AIM-120D is essential to maintaining regional balance, Kathimerini reports.
If the US government does not grant the request, Greece is reportedly prepared to buy Meteor missiles for its F-35 fleet instead, which could shift future defense procurement toward European suppliers.
Greece has also expressed interest in the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, expected to outperform the current AMRAAM in both range and capability.
AIM-120D in Service
The AIM-120D is a long-range, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile employed by several US and allied air forces.
It is currently used on US Air Force F-15s, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35As, and integrated by partners including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Norway on their F-15 and F-35 jets.
The missile’s long reach, precision targeting, and ability to change targets mid-flight make it a critical component of modern air superiority operations.
It has been featured in major NATO training exercises like Red Flag and Maple Flag and deployed operationally in theaters across the Pacific, Middle East, and Europe.
