MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : ERDOGAN’S GERMAN SUBMARINES !
1 July 2021 – 12m – German Type 214 submarine sales to Turkey stir the waters of the eastern Mediterranean: good news for the Turkish Navy, NATO, and German industry, but oh so bad for Greece and Cyprus.
Shifting the balance – German submarines are giving Turkey an edge over Greece
That may make the eastern Mediterranean less stable
Jul 3rd 2021 – THE ECONOMIST – ON THE SOUTHERN shore of the Gulf of Izmit, at the Golcuk shipyard, Turkey’s naval future is slowly taking shape. The first of six German-designed submarines lies in the water, after being floated out from its dock in March. The Piri Reis will join the fleet next year; five other Reis-class subs will follow in successive years. It is a triumph for Turkey’s navy—and a headache for Greece.
Over the past year Turkey and Greece, despite both being members of NATO, have sparred in the Mediterranean. Their warships collided last summer after Turkey sent a survey vessel into disputed waters. Greece responded by rallying allies in Europe and the Middle East, bought a slew of French warplanes and, in December, announced a doubling of defence spending to €5.5bn ($6.6bn). That, though, is still less than half the Turkish level. Turkey’s navy is bigger and newer. And the Anadolu, a Spanish-designed light aircraft-carrier, is in the final stages of construction.