Israel and Greece have signed a pound 3 billion ($3.5 billion) defence agreement under which Israel will build a comprehensive, multi-layered air defence network for Greece, dubbed ‘Achilles Shield.’ The deal is the largest defence export agreement in the history of Israel-Greece relations and one of the largest in Israel’s history.
The system will combine several Israeli-made platforms, including David’s Sling, BARAK MX and SPYDER, alongside MMR multi-mission radars and a new national command-and-control system designed to integrate Greece’s air defence capabilities. A separate pound 26 million agreement will provide Rafael’s Drone Dome systems for protection against drones.
The programme is designed to provide layered protection against ballistic missiles, aircraft, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, marking the first time Israel’s Defence Ministry is supplying a complete integrated defence array covering such a broad range of aerial threats.
The agreement also includes expanded defence-industrial cooperation, with Israel expected to transfer technology and expertise to Greek industry. Greek companies are reportedly expected to receive around pound 700 million of the deal’s value as subcontractors.
The deal comes as Greece undertakes a major military modernisation programme amid long-standing tensions with neighbouring Trkiye and a rapidly changing security environment in the Eastern Mediterranean. Athens has outlined plans to invest around pound 28 billion in defence capabilities through 2036, including new aircraft, warships and air-defence systems.
The ‘Achilles Shield’ system is expected to become operational within approximately 35 months, with deliveries taking place in stages.