The evolution of NATO's post-Cold War European strategies toward deterrence and crisis management has played an important role in the development of Greece's military doctrine. Greek policy is to adopt new doctrines and strategic options prescribed by NATO whenever such changes are compatible with its national security interests. Greece has expressed its intention to contribute troops in the near future to the Allied Mobile Force of NATO's Allied Command Europe (ACE). In 1994 Greece was contributing one division to the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), and it will participate in the Multinational Division in the Southern Region.

Greece participates in NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED), which consists of destroyers and escort ships, and the Strategic Allied Command Europe prescribes a pivotal role for the Hellenic Navy in the Multinational Maritime Force in instances of limited aggression in the Mediterranean. The E-3A aircraft of NATO's Airborne Early Warning Force are manned by integrated crews from eleven nations, including Greece. The main forward operating base of the E-3A component is maintained at Preveza on Greece's Ionian coast. A number of NATO air defense installations also are located in Greece. Greece has offered headquarters facilities for the Multinational Division in Thessaloniki.

Nevertheless, disagreements between Greece and Turkey have hindered some aspects of the two nations' participation in the NATO alliance and have complicated the strategic preparations of the alliance. At the end of 1994, NATO was attempting to finalize establishment at Larisa of the NATO headquarters responsible for land defense of Greece and Italy (LANDSOUTHCENT). Greece had reversed its 1993 blockage of the arrangement, but in 1994 Turkey refused its support until Greek and Turkish airspace over the Aegean Sea is firmly defined. Specifically, the Joint Staff of NATO had set its manning plan for the LANDSOUTHCENT headquarters in early 1994, but subsequent Turkish and Greek disagreements suspended funding well into 1995. Until a comprehensive settlement of their differences is reached, such bickering will prevent both Greece and Turkey from making full contributions to NATO activities in the strategically sensitive eastern Mediterranean.

The Greek armed forces made a significant contribution to the UN effort in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The Hellenic Air Force carried out air and sea surveillance and reconnaissance, and it relocated aircraft and deployed radar stations in its southeast sector. Most Greek airfields were made available to United States and allied aircraft. During the war, bases on Crete and Rhodes received nearly 3,000 aircraft from United States aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean. Greece also contributed a frigate to the allied Maritime Interdiction Force and supported UN sanctions against Iraq.

Data as of December 1994

NOTE: The information regarding Greece on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Greece Greece in NATO information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Greece Greece in NATO should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.