Greece has approved a €4.3 billion ($4.89 billion) defense procurement package, marking one of the most significant steps in the country’s military modernization program. The package, approved on Thursday by the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA), includes the development of the “Achilles’ Shield” integrated air defense system, new surveillance capabilities, transport aircraft, drones, and upgrades to the Hellenic Navy and Army.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias has said the approvals form a key part of the government’s Agenda 2030 defense strategy, which aims to transform the Armed Forces into a technology-driven military capable of responding to modern threats.
“Achilles’ Shield” at the center of modernization
The flagship project is “Achilles’ Shield,” a multi-layered air defense network designed to protect Greece against aircraft, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and other aerial threats.
According to Dendias, the system, most parts of which are manufactured in Israel, will combine data from multiple sensors and weapons into a single integrated command-and-control (C2) network, enabling military commanders to detect, prioritize, and respond to threats in real time. “The air defense dome fuses data from all operational sensors—from long-range systems down to night-vision optics on individual infantry helmets,” Dendias said.
He added that the system will analyze battlefield data, prioritize targets, and recommend tactical responses, moving Greece’s Armed Forces away from legacy operational models toward a modern, network-centric force. Furthermore, he revealed that domestic participation in the program is expected to generate approximately €700 million ($796 million) for Greece’s defense industry.
Key defense procurements approved
Alongside Greece’s Achilles’ Shield, KYSEA approved a broad range of procurement programs, including:
- Electronic warfare systems to counter hostile drones through non-kinetic means
- HERON 1 unmanned aerial systems for long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) micro-satellites, giving Greece sovereign, all-weather Earth observation capabilities
- Ten additional V-BAT VTOL drones, expanding the Armed Forces’ unmanned aerial fleet
- Night-vision systems integrated into soldiers’ standard combat equipment
- Three Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, to be acquired through a bilateral agreement with Portugal. The aircraft, expected to begin arriving in 2027, will also provide aerial refueling capabilities.
- Ten special operations submersibles, with eight to be built at Skaramangas Shipyards in Greece and two in the United Kingdom
- Modernization of four MEKO-class frigates, including enhanced anti-submarine warfare systems
- HELLFIRE precision-guided missiles for the Hellenic Army’s Apache attack helicopters
- Graduate education programs in the United States for Greek military officers specializing in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence
Next phase expected in September
According to Dendias, Thursday’s approvals represent a substantial part of the government’s Agenda 2030 defense modernization effort and additional reforms are planned.
The Defense Ministry is expected to present the next phase of the program in September, including an updated force structure and Greece’s long-term defense planning framework covering the 2027–2037 period.
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