Apr 28, 2018

Greece agrees to $1.45 billion deal with U.S. to upgrade F-16 fleet

Hellenic Air Force F-16 block 52 Fighting Falcon of 'Zeus' team, flies over Flisvos bay during the Air Show. Photo: Dimitrios Sotiriou/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Greek government and military officials on Saturday signed-off on a $1.45 billion deal (1.2 billion euro) to upgrade over half of the country's American-made F-16 military fighter planes, the Associated Press reports.

The details: Over 80 F-16s in Greece's fleet will receive similar capabilities to that of the more sophisticated F-35, without the stealth technology, according to the AP, adding that Greece will pay for improvements through 2027. The U.S. has reportedly agreed to cap payments to $182 million annually after that. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to make a visit to the White House this coming October.

Go deeper

Axios
21 mins ago - Podcasts

House antitrust chair talks USA vs. Google

The Justice Department filed a 63-page antitrust lawsuit against Google related to the tech giant's search and advertising business. This comes just weeks after the House subcommittee on antitrust issued its own scathing report on Google and other Big Tech companies, arguing they've become digital monopolies.

Axios Re:Cap talks with Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), chair of the subcommittee on antitrust, about Google, the DOJ's lawsuit and Congress' next move.

Joann Muller, author of Navigate
33 mins ago - Economy & Business

Boeing research shows disinfectants kill coronavirus on airplanes

Electrostatic spraying of disinfectant. Photo: Delta Air Lines

Boeing and researchers at the University of Arizona say their experiment with a live virus on an unoccupied airplane proves that the cleaning methods currently used by airlines are effective in destroying the virus that causes COVID-19.

Why it matters: Deep cleaning aircraft between flights is one of many tactics the airline industry is using to try to restore public confidence in flying during the pandemic. The researchers say their study proves there is virtually no risk of transmission from touching objects including armrests, tray tables, overhead bins or lavatory handles on a plane.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Politics: Senate Democrats block vote on McConnell's targeted COVID relief bill — McConnell urges White House not to strike stimulus deal before election.
  2. Economy: Why the stimulus delay isn't a crisis (yet).
  3. Health: Studies show drop in COVID death rate — The next wave is gaining steam — The overwhelming aftershocks of the pandemic.
  4. Education: Schools haven't become hotspots — San Francisco public schools likely won't reopen before the end of the year.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow