Greece has launched a large-scale rearmament program worth 4.2 billion euros, the central element of which will be the creation of a modern air, missile and anti-drone defense system, called "Achilles' Shield". The project is being implemented in cooperation with Israel and Cyprus against the backdrop of tense relations with Turkey, Tech writes.
Specifically, according to Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, the country is "entering a new era". The bulk of the funding – about 3 billion euros – will be aimed at purchasing Israeli components for the new defense system.
In addition to the "Achilles Shield", Athens will significantly strengthen its armed forces. Specifically, the purchase program includes:
Israeli Heron unmanned aerial vehicles;
Brazilian Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft;
missiles for American Apache attack helicopters;
other modern weapons systems.
It is noted that the new program is part of a large-scale military reform that the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in 2025. In Athens, it was defined as the most important modernization of the Greek armed forces in the country's modern history.