The Government Council for National Security (KYSEA) convened on Monday, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. According to government sources, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias briefed the Council on the latest diplomatic and military developments in Iran and the Middle East.
In addition, the Council selected Vice Admiral Christos Kontorouchas as the new chief for the Hellenic Coast Guard, replacing the outgoing chief Vice Admiral Tryfonas Kontizas, and approved armed forces’ armaments programs.

Dendias: Significant decisions made by KYSEA ‘usher in a new era’

With the decisions made on Monday by the Government Council for National Security (KYSEA) on the armaments programs proposed by the defense ministry, “I consider that we are entering a new era,” National Defense Minister Nikos Dendias commented after the council meeting.
He noted that KYSEA had taken “a series of exceptionally important decisions” on an “anti-drone, anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile dome for Greece – a very significant part of Achilles’ Shield.”
Dendias highlighted the decisions taken for the program to modernise the MEKO frigates after many years, saying this will be carried out with four ships that will be able to cope with contemporary conditions.
KYSEA also decided to proceed with the infrastructure for the F-35 fighter jets, pointing out that the first F-35 will be delivered to Greece in 2028.
Regarding the upgrade of the F-16 Block 50 aircraft to F-16 Vipers, which will also proceed, Dendias stressed that “ with these Vipers, our Air Force will far exceed one hundred F-16 Vipers, and together with the Rafale fighter jets and the F-35s, it will be one of the most powerful air forces in Europe.”
He also stated that “we are not overlooking the issue of transport aircraft,” noting that “KYSEA approved the maintenance program for the C-27 aircraft.”
Dendias further recalled that when the present government took office, “ the country had barely one transport aircraft in operational use, whereas at present the country has 12 transport aircraft.”
“This, of course,” he added, “does not mean that the country should not move toward a new generation of transport aircraft, but this is something we will discuss in the future.”
According to reports, Dendias pointed out during the KYSEA meeting that these programs will include a 25% participation of the Greek defense industry, as well as access to the systems’ source code.