ATHENS – Greece’s military buildup against Turkish provocations will include buying up to 76 American Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) that the US Marines stopped using after nine troops were killed when one sank in 2020.

The US government approved selling the AAVs to Greece although their use was prohibited for American soldiers for regular deployment although the Marines said they’re safe but can’t be used on the water in the US.

The purchase will cost Greece $268 million and comes as the New Democracy government was criticized for not having safety systems implemented on railways after a head-on collision killed 57, budget problems said partially to blame.

https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/03/17/greece-buying-vehicles-that-marines-corps-beached-after-fatal-sinking/

Greece had asked to buy 63 of the personnel variant of the so-called AAV, nine of the command variant and four of the recovery variant, with 63 50-caliber machine guns, as well as MK-19 grenade launchers and M36E T1 thermal sights among the related equipment, said Defense News.

After the July 30, 2020 sinking the Marine Corps restricted its fleet of 4o-year-old AAVs to the land and barred it from deployments or water training except in emergencies. An investigation found that inadequate training, shabby maintenance and poor judgment by leaders led to the sinking.

A Marine Corps spokesman told the site said that despite their age that the vehicles were refurbished and had been properly maintained over the years except for the one that sank, apparently, no report whether those Greece will get any guarantees.

“The AAV is a safe vehicle and a viable platform for amphibious operations. As with all combat systems and equipment, strict compliance with maintenance standards is an essential prerequisite to safe and effective operation,” said the spokesman, Maj. Jim Stenger.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the sale to Greece will provide “an effective capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure in support of its strategic location on NATO’s southern flank.”