Key facts
- Greece and Israel signed a $3.5 billion defense deal for an air defense system.
- The agreement is for Israel to build a multi-layered air defense system for Greece, dubbed 'Achilles Shield'.
- The deal includes Israel's David's Sling, SPYDER, and Barak MX systems, along with MMR radars.
- An additional $26 million deal covers Drone Dome systems for protection against drones.
- This is the largest defense export deal in the history of Israel-Greece relations.
Greece and Israel have signed a $3.5 billion defense deal, marking the largest defense export agreement in the history of their bilateral relations. The accord will see Israel construct a multi-layered air defense system for Greece, known as 'Achilles Shield,' which is part of Greece's military modernization efforts. The system will integrate anti-drone, anti-ballistic missile, and anti-aircraft capabilities.
Under the agreement, Greece will acquire Israel's David's Sling and SPYDER air defense systems, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and the Barak MX system and MMR multi-mission radars from Israel Aerospace Industries. A supplementary deal worth $26 million will provide Rafael's Drone Dome systems to protect strategic sites from drones. The overall 'Achilles Shield' project is estimated to cost $28 billion and is expected to be completed by 2036.
This significant defense pact underscores the deepening strategic partnership between Greece and Israel, occurring amidst heightened geopolitical tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly between Greece and Turkey. The Greek government, led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, faces the challenge of balancing its growing ties with Israel against its historical relationship with Turkey. The article also notes that Israeli real estate investment in Greece has increased, contributing to rising property prices that impact local residents.