The US State Department has approved the potential sale of Aerosonde drones and armored vehicles to Greece for an estimated $130 million.
Athens’ procurement request includes an unknown quantity of Aerosonde drones with anti-spoofing modules and Global Positioning Systems.
Also requested is an unspecified number of M1117 wheeled armored security vehicles, MK19 grenade machine guns, and spare parts.
“The proposed sale will improve Greece’s capability to deter current and future threats, support coalition operations, and increase interoperability with the United States,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated in a press release.
Hunt Valley, Maryland based Textron Systems is the principal contractor for the potential sale with no known offset agreements.
Aerosonde Drone
Designed for expeditionary land and sea-based operations, the 80-pound (36.4 kilograms) drone carries a 20-pound (9 kilogram) payload in support of missions such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and communications relay.
The payload the drone can carry includes full motion cameras, electronic warfare, radar, three-dimensional mapping, voice communications relay, and networking capabilities.
It has a range of 140 kilometers (87 miles) and an endurance of over 14 hours.
Greece modernizes its defense with drones
Greece also plans to buy Switchblade drones from the US to further strengthen its armed forces.
The Switchblade, produced by AeroVironment, Inc., flies to a target and detonates. It has gained attention because the Ukrainian military is using them to strike at Russian troops.
More than 700 Switchblade 300 drones were sent to Ukraine by the United States as part of an arms package after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In November Greece announced plans to deploy drone systems (UAVs) in all military bases in the country.
“We must enter the age of drones. Every unit of the Greek Army will have an anti-drone capability,” Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias pledged.
Athens has drafted a multi-billion, 10-year purchasing plan that includes acquiring up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets from the US.
Greece finalized its intention to procure 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft by signing a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) through a US government Foreign Military Sale in July. The LOA also includes an option for 20 additional aircraft.
In January 2024, the US State Department approved the potential sale of up to forty F-35 fighter jets and respective equipment to Greece in an $8.6 billion deal.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a video statement that, as part of the deal, the Greek state will also receive significant military aid at no extra cost. This would include frigates, C-130 transport aircraft, armored tanks, and vehicles.
Greece will also buy three frigates from France. The launch ceremony of the first frigate “Kimon” took place in the Naval Group shipyard of Lorient, France last year.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
