The US Army has entered into a foreign military sales contract with Greece to deliver some of its excess equipment to provide the country with additional capabilities for regional operations.
Classified as Excess Defense Articles (EDA), the first batch of 44 M117 Guardian Armored Safety Vehicles arrived via train recently from the army’s 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Germany.
Equipment declared EDA are considered no longer needed and removed from the army’s inventory.
According to a report by Alabama-based Redstone Rocket, the M1117 vehicles complement the Greek military’s present weapons systems, enhancing interoperability and combat readiness.
For the US Army, the delivery means easy divestiture of older vehicles to facilitate modernization.
A total of 1,200 M1117 vehicles are expected to be delivered to Greece by April 2022.
‘Achieving Common Objectives’
Greece’s geopolitical environment and the variety of security threats it faces have reportedly prompted the government to acquire new weapon systems and bolster its alliances.
Greek defense minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt for the “excellent level of cooperation” between the US Embassy and the Greek defense ministry.
He cited the military contract as “solid proof” of the thriving strategic ties between the two nations.
Greek military liaison officer Lt. Col. Athanasios Natsios said receiving the American M1117 vehicles shows enhanced cooperation. However, it also poses a challenge to the armed forces to make the equipment operationally capable “to achieve common objectives.”
