Greece Approves $3.5 Billion Air Defense Deal with Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries

Greece's Security Council has approved a major procurement plan to acquire Israeli air defense systems worth approximately 3.5 billion euros. The deal includes the purchase of the SPYDER and Iron Dome systems from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, as well as the Barak MX missile system and associated radar technologies from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Deliveries of these systems will span nearly three years, with at least 25% of the components to be manufactured in Greece through technology transfer agreements with Rafael and IAI.

This acquisition aims to enhance Greece's air defense capabilities amid ongoing tensions with neighboring Turkey, under a program named "Achilles Shield." The Iron Dome system will protect against high-altitude threats, the Barak MX will address medium-altitude threats, and the SPYDER system will counter low-altitude threats. Additionally, Greece will procure Heron unmanned aerial vehicles from IAI as part of the deal.

Last year, Greece also signed a 650 million euro contract with Elbit Systems for precision rockets and PULS rocket launching systems. With this new agreement, Greece becomes the second country after Israel to deploy the Iron Dome system, following Finland's 2023 purchase of the system from Rafael in a multi-hundred-million-dollar deal.