Greece Offers Vital Lessons for Europe in Defense Spending
Living next to Turkey, the country outspent larger NATO members even at the peak of its debt crisis yet its domestic defense industry lagged behind.
A military parade marks Greek Independence Day in Athens on March 25.
Photographer: Nick Paleologos/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
When the alarm sounds in the Tanagra airbase northwest of Athens, it takes no more than five minutes for a Rafale fighter jet to scramble and set off across the Aegean Sea toward the border with Turkey.
Greece has a long rivalry with its former imperial neighbor over sovereign rights in the island-dotted waters that separate them. Despite being NATO allies, their forces infamously came close to clashing in 1996 and tension escalated again as recently as five years ago.