Greece approves purchase of $4bn Israeli air defense system

ATHENS, July 24 (YPA) –Greece plans to purchase an Israeli air defense system worth €3.5 billion, along with several types of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.

The Israeli economic newspaper “The Marker” reported that the Greek parliament approved a major deal to acquire air defense systems from Israeli companies, with a total value of €3.5 billion.

The package includes includes Rafael’s David’s Sling and SPYDER air defense systems, as well as IAI’s Barak MX air and missile defense system.

The agreement is part of a broader €4.2 billion ($4.8 billion) defense spending package that also includes C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, Heron unmanned aerial vehicles, Apache helicopter missiles, Victa stealth surface vessels, and sonar systems for frigates, according to a document issued by the Greek Defense Ministry.

The purchase of the so-called “Achilles Shield” was approved during a meeting of Greece’s Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to Agence France-Presse.

Greece has traditionally allocated at least 2% of its gross domestic product to defense spending due to decades of tensions with Turkey, and currently spends more than 3% of its GDP on defense.

Under Mitsotakis, Athens has significantly expanded its military modernization program, particularly through the acquisition of French-made Belharra-class frigates and Rafale fighter jets.

@E.Y.M