The Greek Ministry of Defence has announced two programmes for the acquisition of surveillance equipment, to be co-funded by the European Union (EU) according to the Jane’s. The first programme concerns the acquisition of up to six electro-optical sensor systems for Hellenic Navy’s all eight Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk helicopters. Helicopter have to anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare mission as well as search and rescue operations. The total cost is set at EUR28.9 million, 85% of which will be financed by the EU. The second programme concerns the acquisition of 25 surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles, together with ground control systems, for EUR1.2 million to be managed by Hellenic Army. Even though there is no public information about where the systems are going to be stationed, C4Defence was told that the surveillance systems will monitor Turkish Navy’s activities at the Dardanelles.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)