Greece has signed a multi-billion-dollar defence agreement with Israel to establish its first integrated multi-layered air defence network. According to reports from Al Jazeera and Reuters, the three-year negotiated pact is valued at three point five billion dollars and is scheduled for completion by the year two thousand and twenty-nine. Israeli defence officials noted that the agreement ranks among the largest military export deals in the nation`s history.
Under the terms of the agreement, engineers will deploy a comprehensive aerial defence shield across Greek territory, integrating three distinct Israeli defense technologies. These include the SPYDER system manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the BARAK MX system produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, and the David`s Sling air defence technology. Additionally, Greece has signed a separate thirty-million-dollar contract to acquire Rafael`s Drone Dome system to protect strategic locations against unmanned aerial vehicles and reinforce existing defenses.
The agreement comes amid a significant surge in Israeli weapons exports, which reached record highs exceeding nineteen billion dollars last year, marking a thirty percent increase compared to the previous year despite widespread international criticism regarding ongoing conflicts. Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias emphasized after the signing that modern conflicts have fundamentally altered the parameters of military defence and deterrence. He stated that advanced technologies, ballistic missiles, cyber threats, and interconnected operational fields have rendered legacy defence doctrines entirely unrealistic.
Greece becomes the second European Union member state to acquire the David`s Sling system, following Finland. Defense analysts note that Athens is actively incorporating lessons learned from the conflict in Eastern Europe, recognizing the critical need for enhanced air defences against potential eastern threats. Furthermore, the reactivation of regional tensions and geopolitical shifts has heightened security awareness. Due to long-standing strategic disputes with neighboring Turkey, Greece currently allocates nearly three point five percent of its gross domestic product to defense expenditures, surpassing the proportionate spending of numerous NATO allies.
