Greece is close to equipping its F-16 fighter jets with Israel's Rampage aeroballistic missile, a weapon capable of stri...

Greece is close to equipping its F-16 fighter jets with Israel's Rampage aeroballistic missile, a weapon capable of striking targets up to 250 kilometers away, according to Kathimerini. The National Military Flight Safety Authority is expected to finish its safety studies within weeks, with certification testing set to begin in early September. The Rampage has an unconventional origin. Israeli engineers essentially took the Extra rocket from the PULS multi-launch rocket system, a close equivalent of the GMLRS round used in America's HIMARS, and mounted it directly onto a fighter jet. That adaptation more than tripled the weapon's effective range, from around 80 km to 250 km, while adding air-launched speed and altitude to the equation. The missile weighs roughly 570 kg, carries a 150 kg warhead, and runs on a solid-fuel engine. It was developed by Elbit Systems and has already seen combat use by Israel. The fact that it can be integrated onto a wide range of aircraft, including Soviet-era platforms like the MiG-29, speaks to its versatility. Alongside the Rampage, Greek F-16s are also expected to receive SPICE precision-guided bomb kits from Israeli firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems before the end of the year. Both programs have faced delays. Kathimerini had previously reported that certification for both systems was supposed to wrap up by the end of 2025, though the reasons for the setback have not been made public. Once both weapons are operational on Greek F-16s, the Hellenic Air Force will gain a serious long-range strike capability it currently lacks, one that would extend its reach well beyond the Aegean and deep into any potential threat corridor. #Greece #HellenicAirForce #Defense