Greece and Israel have strong economic and diplomatic ties, having conducted several joint military exercises in recent years and operating an aviation training center in southern Greece. Within this framework of close bilateral cooperation, Greece – according to Reuters citing two officials with knowledge of the plan – is in talks with Israel to purchase advanced missile systems for its planned air defense dome.
“We want to purchase 36 PULS artillery systems and anti-aircraft systems for the ‘Achilles Shield.’ Negotiations with Israel will intensify next month,” one official stated, adding that Greek companies will provide approximately 25% of the project. The cost of the 36 PULS rocket artillery systems, manufactured by Israeli company Elbit (ESLT.TA), is estimated at 650 million euros, the official reported, adding that they will be used to protect Greece’s eastern borders with Turkey.
A second Greek official confirmed that negotiations are ongoing. However, in 2024, Greece expressed interest in purchasing anti-aircraft and advanced artillery systems from Israel, but Israel’s military operations in Gaza delayed discussions, the second official said.
“Achilles Shield”: What Greece discusses with Israel
Athens has announced it will spend approximately 28 billion euros by 2036 to modernize its armed forces, as it emerges from the 2009-2018 debt crisis and attempts to keep pace with its historic rival, Turkey.
Approximately 3 billion euros will be the budget for creating a multi-layered anti-aircraft and anti-drone system called “Achilles Shield.” It is estimated that the largest component (geographically) could be completed by 2027.
Athens also plans to purchase new stealth fighter jets (F-35s), frigates and submarines from the US and Europe. The cost for the first 20 F-35s, their weapons and reconstruction of Andravida Air Base amounts to approximately 4.6 billion euros. Additionally, expenditures for the new fighter fleet, worth about 200 million euros, will be implemented in the coming years.
How the new multi-layered and integrated air defense plan is taking shape
It should be noted that the “Achilles Shield” is not a single, specific anti-aircraft system, but a multi-layered and integrated air defense plan.
Its purpose is to cover the entire Greek territory and provide protection against five threat levels:
– Anti-aircraft / Anti-missile / Anti-ballistic protection.
– Protection against Unmanned Aircraft (Anti-drone).
– Protection against Aircraft.
– Protection against Ships (Anti-ship).
– Protection against Submarines (Anti-submarine).
The plan provides for technological integration of existing air defense assets with new, modern systems, many of which will be acquired through defense procurement programs (such as discussions for systems from Israel, e.g., PULS and possibly Barak MX, or the German IRIS-T), and will be connected through a common network using Artificial Intelligence.
This “dome” of protection aims to free the main units of the Armed Forces (such as frigates and modern fighter aircraft) from the role of territorial defense, allowing them to undertake broader strategic roles.
