Greece will receive 393 more M1117 tanks from the US, a Turkish social networking site reports.
The anxiety of the neighbours concerns any possible movement to the islands of the Eastern Aegean, which the Turks want them (in their dreams, of course) completely naked, while they themselves maintain bases and mobile ballistic missile systems ATMACA-BORA-TAYFUN etc.
But as PENTAPOSTAGMA has already reported in previous articles, the wheeled M-1117 armored vehicles received by Greece from the US are gradually being sent to Evros and the islands, causing Turkish anger as is only natural.
In the next short period of time, we are sure to expect a mountain of statements and documents in which the Turks, citing the Greek press, will accuse us of arming the islands, citing the well-known Turkish fairy tale.
What are the M1117 tanks
The 393 M1117 armoured vehicles are surplus to US requirements as part of the modernisation of its military arsenal under contracts with several countries, many of which will eventually go to our islands.
The M1117 Guardian, also referred to as the Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), is an internal security vehicle based on the V-100 and V-150 Commando series of armored vehicles.
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The M1117 was one of the first US military vehicles to be built in a specialised mine-resistant hull, and after 2001 it was adopted in increasing numbers as a direct response to the IED threat to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Its armament consists of a Mk19 grenade launcher and a Browning M2HB heavy machine gun mounted on a turret similar to that used on the USM's amphibious assault vehicle, and a M240H medium machine gun mounted outside the gunner's hatch.
It was developed in the late 1990s for service with the US Military Police Corps.
The M1117 Guardian armoured security vehicles are part of 172 defence programmes approved by the Greek government and made possible through agreements with the US.
When will the rest of the Marder 1A3s from Germany arrive?
On the flip side, we are still waiting for the remaining German TOMAs. Recall that following an agreement between Mitsotakis and Solts on May 31, 2022, Greece handed over 40 obsolete BMP-1 armored vehicles to Germany in exchange for an equal number of Marder 1A3s, which we are still waiting for.
Deliveries began in October 2022, but were halted in February 2023; the Marder 1A3s were transferred to the XXV Armoured Brigade.
The question is when will all that the Germans promised us come with the transfer of the rest of the German TOMAs.
