With eye on Turkey, Greece opens Israeli-built flight school

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

KALAMATA, Greece (AP) — Greece has launched operations at a new international pilot training center created in partnership with Israel, as it tries to build on a relative air power advantage over regional rival Turkey. Israeli defense contractor Elbit will help run the new facility outside the southern Greek city of Kalamata after finalizing a $1.65 billion deal with Athens last year. The center, using new turbo-prop and jet aircraft, will run at full capacity in early 2024.