The Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) has approved a series of contracts forming part of the long-term defence procurement programme of the Armed Forces.
As announced on Thursday by Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, KYSEA approved the following:
An anti-aircraft, anti-ballistic and anti-drone shield (“Achilles’ Shield”).
Non-kinetic systems for countering unmanned vessels.
The HERON 1 unmanned vessel system.
Small SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites, providing immediate satellite imagery under full national control.
Class II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, including the acquisition of ten additional V-BAT unmanned systems.
Night-vision goggles, as a basic component of the soldier’s combat equipment.
Three new C-390 Millennium transport aircraft. This involves the acquisition of new Embraer jet transport aircraft, with the first expected to be delivered in 2027. The aircraft are being acquired through a bilateral agreement between Greece and Portugal and have the capability to refuel fighter aircraft in mid-air (acting as aerial tankers).
Ten special operations underwater vehicles, eight of which will be built at Skaramangas shipyards and two in the United Kingdom.
The upgrade of four MEKO frigates with advanced anti-submarine warfare systems.
HELLFIRE laser-guided missiles to enhance the strike capabilities of Apache attack helicopters.
Postgraduate study programmes in the United States aimed at developing a pool of officers with advanced qualifications and expertise in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence.
Regarding the “Achilles’ Shield”, Dendias said it consists of a series of weapons systems forming interconnected protective layers and constitutes “an integrated command and control system”, with the participation of the Greek defence industry amounting to 700 million euros.
Explaining the operation of the anti-aircraft shield, he said it “receives an overall picture from all sensors”, adding that it can even receive information “from the helmet-mounted sights of Army personnel”.
“It processes, prioritises and proposes responses against every threat,” he stressed. “It transforms the Armed Forces from the old model of personnel and systems into a modern machine capable of collecting and processing all data and responding to all challenges.”
Dendias noted that “a major part of the ‘Agenda 2030’ was approved today”, while adding that “we are not finished yet”. He announced that in September the second phase of the new Force Structure will be presented, along with developments in the long-term defence procurement programme for the period 2027-2037.
