US Air Force spokesman: Deployment of MQ-9 Reaper UAV at Greek air base is not a response to Russian actions in Ukraine

Work at the airbase off the east coast of the Aegean continued through most of 2022. It was planned to include new maintenance areas, ramps and taxiway extensions. The construction contractor's $21 million contract work is due to be completed in the final weeks of the year.

The end of this upgrade was the reason for the arrival of several MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles at the Greek airfield. A US Air Force representative for Europe and Africa confirmed the arrival, stating:

The US and Greece have worked together to ensure that the Larissa base is capable of operating the MQ-9 UAV. Larisa Air Base is a strategic location allowing the MQ-9 to easily support both the eastern and southern flanks of NATO.

In addition, the aforementioned US Air Force spokesman added that the deployment of American UAVs at the Greek air base is not a response to Russian actions in Ukraine. However, this step should contribute to the containment and prevention of conflict between NATO and Russia.

Officials declined to state the number of drones based at the facility, citing operational secrecy, although local reports list eight drones. Their deployment was authorized under amendments made to the US-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA).

Among the changes last agreed in 2021, Washington is now allowed to use infrastructure, both at Larisa Air Base and others located in Stefanovikio and Alexandroupoli. The Larissa base performs the following tasks: operation, maintenance and support of US maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, some technical ground work, and airlift and logistics support, including tanker aircraft.

The Greek military itself is also trying to get American MQ-9 drones into its arsenal. Athens submitted to its parliamentary armaments committee a program to acquire three such systems, which was approved in July 2022.

Comments

[voice of reason]

With the Greeks, NATO in general may turn out to be interesting in the end. These are still leftists, anarchists and anti-imperialists. Don't feed them bread, let them stage a coup. Now the standard of living will still fall and wait for some "black colonels" there ....

[Shurik70]

Deployment of the MQ-9 Reaper UAV at the air base in Greece is not a response to Russian actions in Ukraine

Rather, these are retaliatory actions against Turkey.
Greeks are really anarchists. And Turkish ships or planes may well attack.
Erdogan will respond adequately (from the point of view of a normal person). But from the point of view of the Greeks - "inadequately." A dozen Greek ships will sink their own ship fired from a machine gun.
This is where additional shock drones will come in handy for the Greeks.
It’s just that they somehow “don’t get it with their minds” that the Turks only officially had fifty bayraktars in 2021. How many now is still unknown, but certainly not less. And the conveyor, in which case, will start stamping them around the clock.
Eight raptors (of which the Greeks will be given a maximum of a couple) against such an armada is nothing at all.
For the United States, what kind of terrorist attack to commit - eight raptors are more than enough.

[Myths]

Black colonels, like the Turks, were provoked by one island country. That she plundered all the resources that she could get in Cyprus, and even took out the rails with which they robbed. And their air base is still in the center of the island.

[Alien From]

Of course, of course, it’s not for nothing that they always have a piano in the bushes

[Quote Lavrov]

I wonder which answer will be correct: our missiles in Cuba or in Venezuela, or expressing concern about the actions of "Western partners"!

[Alien From]

I think the expression of concern, plus your nickname ....

[Arkady007]

We need to make our own reconnaissance UAVs.
There are no other options.
Everything else is dancing with a tambourine around the fire.

[Adrey]

Quote: Arkady007

We need to make our own reconnaissance UAVs.
There are no other options.

"Reaper" (gloomy) not quite reconnaissance
Are you sure it's time? Can we wait a little more?

[Fangaro]

Initially, the US may not have planned to use the MQ-9 as a show of support for Ukraine. But now it looks like a kind of warning for Russia.
Should I go for Greece too? No need. Whatever decision the Greek government itself would like to make, there are a lot of levers of pressure on them from well-fed and prosperous countries.
It is bad that TAM have influence on the government and opposition. Not us.

[Sobol]

It is clear to everyone that this action is against North Korea.

[Pharmacist]

The case when this action may not be against Russia, but against the disloyal Erdogan. So as not to frighten little Greece with his threats.

[ASM]

Well, they would have said directly that Turkey is pushing too hard, and the Greeks have thrown everything to the outskirts. But no, they also managed to drag the Russian Federation. Dolbodyatly.

[Wolf]

Quote: [quote] [this is a strategic location that allows the MQ-9 to easily support both the eastern and southern flanks of NATO / quote]
Everything is said, and especially the southern flank of NATO!

[Suslin]

I wonder why the United States needs these UAVs there? They are probably, according to the American, needed to fight ISIS. But they will fly along the Black Sea near the borders of Russia. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

[Sniper]

I thought so too) it was they who, in spite of Iran, got them into it)

[Petr_Koldunov]

And if Russian missiles appear in Cuba, then this will not be a response to US actions to support ukroreikh.

[Eugene Zaboy]

Indeed, it is not against Russia. The United States is thus preparing Greece for war with its NATO ally, Turkey. Naturally, no one will openly announce this. God works in mysterious ways. It is dangerous to be friends with the USA.

[Dkuznecov]

it is high time to make our analogues of reapers larger in number.
flying DLRO is not a machine, but a dream.

[tolmachiev51]

They could have thrown another "fool" - "protection against North Korean missiles". how they "protected" from Iranian geyropa. Only "Poseidon" at least one will stop this lawlessness.