Warzone/The Drive: Face-Off In The Aegean: How Greek And Turkish Air Forces Stack Up
With tensions rising over energy reserves in the Aegean Sea, the disgruntled neighbors have air arms that are well-equipped and at high readiness.
Greece and Turkey have a long history of animosity despite both being NATO members. However, there’s a real concern that the current spike in tensions — mainly related to control of oil and gas reserves and maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean — could escalate. If they do, the respective air arms of the two countries are likely to be heavily engaged, so it’s a good time to take a detailed look at their respective assets and how their capabilities compare.
It’s worth noting here that the Hellenic and Turkish Air Forces regularly spar over the Aegean Sea. Turkey and Greece broadly have a long history of confrontation, including an all-out war fought in support of competing factions in Cyprus in 1974. That independent Mediterranean island, which is still divided between areas under the control of ethnic Greek and Turkish Cypriots to this day, remains a focus of antagonism between the two countries. However, current developments in the region have caused alarm in both NATO and the European Union.
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WNU Editor: In any major conflict between Greece and Turkey the casualties and damage would be massive. But the real damage will be political and economic. I do not see Greece starting military hostilities against Turkey, but Turkish President Erdogan has made it clear that many of these small Greek islands along their maritime coast should belong to Turkey. Will he seized them with force? When it comes to Erdogan one can only wonder, but if he should it would result in military conflict. In such a conflict the fighting will be in the air and in the sea. And while Turkey has an advantage in numbers, the economic and political sanctions that the EU will impose on Turkey will be massive and crippling to their economy that would make any territorial gain meaningless.
1 comment:
I would have to disagree, while on paper Turkey has a small advantage in numbers for air and sea unlike Greece it could not bring them all to bear. Turkey would have to keep at least a third of it's air force in the east due to ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq along with it's support of Azerbaijan. As to it's navy a quarter would have to remain in the Black Sea to counter any Russian moves. Thrace is a death trap for Turkey's army as well. All in all the advantage goes to Greece.
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