Israel, Greece sign biggest-ever defence deal worth €3 billion

New Delhi: The largest defence export deal in the history of Israel-Greece relations, and one of the largest in the history of Israel, has been signed with Greece set to acquire an approximately €3 billion multi-layered air-defence network built around Israeli systems. Known as “Achilles Shield”, the programme will include David’s Sling, Barak MX and SPYDER with advanced radars and a new command-and-control system to protect Greece against ballistic missiles, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The agreement was signed on Monday by Israel ministry of defence director, Major General (reserve) Amir Baram and his Greek counterpart Ioannis Bouras at the Israeli defence ministry headquarters. The deal will give Greece a single air defence network capable of detecting and responding to different types of aerial and missile threats.

Israel to build Greece’s air defence shield

The centrepiece of the network will be David’s Sling, developed by Israel’s missile defence organization with Rafael as the prime developer. Greece will also receive SPYDER, manufactured by Rafael, and Barak MX, manufactured by Israel aerospace industries (IAI), giving the country multiple layers of protection against different threats.

The package will also include MMR multi-mission radars manufactured by ELTA Systems, an IAI subsidiary, for air surveillance and threat detection. Rafael will develop a new national command-and-control system that will connect the different air defence systems and allow Greece to operate them as one network.

This also marks the first time Israel is providing another country with a complete air defence network covering such a wide range of threats.

Alongside the main agreement, Greece will acquire Rafael’s Drone Dome systems under a separate €26 million deal. The systems will be used to protect strategic sites from drones and strengthen Greece’s existing counter-UAV capabilities.

The project will also increase defence industry cooperation between Israel and Greece. This will include the transfer of knowledge and technology to Greek industry as part of government-to-government cooperation between the two countries.

The agreement brings together systems from both Rafael and IAI in one of Greece’s biggest air defence programmes of the past decade. It also gives Israeli defence companies a larger presence in the European market and expands the international use of their air defence technology.

David’s Sling gets another European customer

Greece will become the second European country and second international customer for David’s Sling after Finland, which signed a deal to acquire the system in 2023. Greece will combine the long-range missile defence system with SPYDER, Barak MX, MMR radars and a new command network to create a layered air defence system.

The deal comes as demand for air- and missile-defence systems grows globally, with countries looking for stronger protection against ballistic missiles, aircraft, cruise missiles and drones. For Israel, the Greek agreement is therefore a major defence export success as well as a boost to its growing defence industry presence in Europe.