[ad_1]
SFor some time, tensions have risen in the Mediterranean between Turkey and Greece over the deposits of raw materials in the Aegean Sea. Accompanied by warships and savage threats, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the research vessel “Oruc Reis” sail off the Greek islands for weeks as the Turkish Navy expands its maneuvers. Greece has also hardened the tone, supported by the European Union, in which some call for sanctions against Turkey. Old conflicts, for example over Cyprus, play as important a role in the dispute as the Greek islands off the Turkish coast.
The conflicts between Athens and Ankara are ancient. That is why, for decades, both sides have always oriented their respective fleets to the capabilities of the other shore of the Aegean. Therefore, the Greek fleet is much larger than one would expect given a population of ten million and economic power similar to the state of Hesse. The Greek Navy has 21,000 soldiers, including some 6,000 reservists. In the German Navy, by comparison, they serve around 16,000 men and women. The number of warships, including 13 frigates and six corvettes, also applies to the strength of the troops. However, the fleet is suffering austerity pressures from the government.
Turkey has also been expanding its naval forces for a long time, although regardless of current economic development. About 45,000 soldiers serve in her navy, which also sails the Black Sea. The largest ships include 19 frigates and six corvettes. In a further comparison, there are around 40 Greek coastal and patrol boats compared to 50 Turkish ones. The Greek fleet owns 19 landing craft for amphibious operations. According to the directory, the Turkish Navy has a “military balance” 34. These include five large landing craft that can carry a considerable force ashore, each with up to 250 soldiers and up to 17 battle tanks.
Unlike Turkey, Greece does not have its own naval aviation. Both countries have neither helicopters nor aircraft carriers. However, Turkey is working full blast on an aircraft carrier called “Anadolu”, on which ultra-modern F-35 jets should also land according to the original plan. Ankara does not succeed because of a dispute with the United States. Instead, attack helicopters are probably planned to be stationed on the ship. The delivery actually scheduled for this year has been delayed.
However, even without an aircraft carrier, the Turkish Air Force is significantly larger than the Greek (360 to 270 fighter jets). All of this results in Turkey’s numerical superiority in maritime terms, but with one important exception: the Greeks are significantly stronger underwater. Both parties relied on German marine technology. Therefore, it could happen that in the event of a war in submarine combat, German ships would be used against German ships.
The deciding factor for superiority in a maritime dispute is not the size of the ships or their guns on board, but the overall capacity of the maritime platforms. When it comes to submarines, Greece is relatively ahead. Both sides have several older subs. The extremely quiet diesel-electric Type 214 submarines, each with eight torpedo tubes, are considered the latest weapon.
