x

Society

Greece Wants to Buy Amphibious Firefighting Planes from Japan

July 31, 2018

After being fiercely criticized for not having a disaster and evacuation plan in place before at least 92 people died in wildfires or drowned in the sea trying to escape the blazes, Greece is reportedly looking to Japanese amphibious firefighting planes to replace an aging fleet often pressed into service with frequent fires.

That was reported by the Japanese newspaper Nikkei which said Greece is interested in the US-2 aircraft built by ShinMaywa Industries that is especially designed for air-sea rescue operations as well.

If it goes ahead, it would be the first major defense procurement by Greece from a Japanese supplier, the business newspaper Naftemporiki said, with the cost of each plane some 70 million euros ($81.95 million) but it wasn’t said how many Greece wants to purchase.

The US-2 has a range of 4,700 kilometers (2,920 miles) and the ability to land in 3-meter (9.85 foot) waves. The aircraft, used by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force for search-and-rescue missions at sea, would be fitted with water tanks for sale to Greece, Nikkei said.

It’s being made possible because Japan relaxed its ban on weapons exports in 2014, allowing the conditional transfer of defense equipment and technology but given that Greece wants to use the plane for firefighting and not defense, the sale may not need approval from Japan’s National Security Council.

With the cost of the aircraft so high, it was expected that Greece would seek aid from the European Union, a Japanese official who was not named said.

RELATED

Cretans are known for loving their guns but the island has the dubious record of having the highest rates of suicide in Greece over the last 25 years, averaging 2.

Top Stories

Columnists

A pregnant woman was driving in the HOV lane near Dallas.

General News

NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.

Video

Over 100 Pilot Whales Beached on Western Australian Coast Have Been Rescued, Officials Say

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — More than 100 long-finned pilot whales that beached on the western Australian coast Thursday have returned to sea, while 29 died on the shore, officials said.

CALIFORNIA - The University of Southern California canceled its main graduation ceremony and dozens more college students were arrested at other campuses nationwide Thursday as protests against the Israel-Hamas war continued to spread.

NEW YORK  — The third day of witness testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial concluded Thursday after Trump's lawyers got their first chance to question a witness on the stand.

ATLANTA — As Donald Trump seeks a return to the White House, criminal charges are piling up for the people who tried to help him stay there in 2020 by promoting false theories of voter fraud.

ATHENS - Voters should see the whole picture when they go to cast their ballot in the European Parliament elections on June 9, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview on Thursday.

Enter your email address to subscribe

Provide your email address to subscribe. For e.g. [email protected]

You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in our newsletter.