Greece’s Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) on Thursday approved a new €3.5 billion package of defense procurement contracts, including significant orders for Israeli missile defense and drone technologies.
The package is part of the country’s long-term military modernization program and will run from 2025 to 2036 to strengthen Greece’s deterrence capabilities.
The procurement of the Israeli missile defense technology will form the core of Greece's Achilles’ Shield multi-layered air, missile, and anti-drone defense network.
“It will be ready and fully operational within 35 months, starting from today,” Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias was quoted by local ekathimerini news website as saying. Dendias said that while Israeli radars and missiles will form the central part of the Achilles Shield, local Greek companies will produce at least 25% of the system.
The package includes investment in Israeli-made Spyder for short-range interceptions, Barak MX for medium-range threats and David’s Sling for ballistic missile interceptions. The systems are made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI subsidiary ELTA Systems will supply the radars that will integrate the separate systems into a unified air defense architecture.
Israel, Greece eye multiple systems for Achilles’ Shield
Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post has understood that the agreement between Israel and Greece could include a few options or combinations of air defense systems rather than just a stand-alone system to replace aging American and Russian systems.
Dendias called Achilles’ Shield “a significant core of the new deterrence program,” adding that the program would bring Greek forces “into a new era.”
Ekathimerini reported that KYSEA also approved counter-unmanned surface vessel systems, the acquisition of IAI Heron 1 unmanned aerial systems by IAI, small synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites providing sovereign imaging capabilities, and 10 additional Shield AI V-BAT Class II unmanned aerial systems.
Key acquisitions will also include 20 F-35 fighter jets and cyber systems.
Greece expands air defense and long-range strike capabilities
Added to existing Patriot batteries, these acquisitions will give Greece one of Europe’s most sophisticated air defense networks. On the ground, in April, Athens approved the purchase of 36 Elbit Systems’ PULS rocket artillery launchers, which provide long-range precision strike capability.
Athens’ modernization is driven in part by tensions with Ankara over maritime boundaries and energy exploration.
Greece and Israel have a strong and growing security partnership centered on defense cooperation, intelligence sharing, and joint military exercises. Their relationship has deepened significantly since 2010, when Israel’s ties with Turkey deteriorated, pushing both Athens and Jerusalem closer together.