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Achilles Shield Approved
Greece’s KYSEA, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, approved plans for an integrated anti-missile, anti-aircraft and anti-drone defensive dome called “Achilles Shield,” with a defense ministry source telling AFP the purchase is worth 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion).
“An "Achilles shield" at 3 billion euros: Greece buys from Israel a multilayer air defense system”
Breaking Defense said Defense Minister Nikos Dendias described the goal as creating “overlapping shields across the entire Greek territory, with an integrated command-and-control system,” and said the enterprise should be ready 35 months “from today.”
The same Breaking Defense report said the planned acquisitions also include American and Israeli drones and Embraer-made C-390 transport planes, with Greece expected to buy three C-390s from Portugal and receive the first delivery next year.
Euronews reported that KYSEA approved acquisitions from Israel including the “Scudo di Achille,” and said the value of the “Scudo di Achille” purchase is estimated at 2.8 billion euros while the overall package approved by the government reaches 4.2 billion euros.
Le Monde, citing an AFP defense ministry source, said around €3 billion of the broader €4.2 billion spending spree would go towards Israeli-made systems for the new shield, and quoted Dendias confirming the KYSEA approval on X.
What Greece Will Buy
Breaking Defense said Greece will also purchase an Israeli-made Heron UAV and approved the purchase of 10 V-Bat surveillance drones made by US firm Shield AI to complement four the Greek armed forces already have.
Le Monde reported that Greece will also buy C-390 Millennium transport aircraft made by Brazil's Embraer, Heron drones from Israel, Apache helicopter missiles, British-made Victa stealth watercraft and frigate sonar systems, according to a ministry document seen by AFP.
The Defense Post, citing a ministry document seen by AFP, said the 4.2 billion euro ($4.8 billion) defense spending blitz includes C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, Heron unmanned aerial vehicles, Apache helicopter missiles, Victa stealth watercraft and frigate sonar systems.
Euronews said the approved package also includes new C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, drones Heron, missili per gli elicotteri Apache, mezzi navali per operazioni speciali and systems sonar destinati alle fregate della Marina, while also approving small SAR satellites and ten additional V-BAT drones.
Le Monde added that the document said Greek defense firms would contribute €700 million to the dome project, and it described Israel’s “Iron Dome” as designed to intercept short-range rockets and missiles.
Industry, Timing, and Stakes
Breaking Defense said Dendias assured reporters that the plan was not just to purchase systems from Israel, but to include the production of Israeli systems in Greece, and suggested that “Some €700 million of the air defense pot” would go to Greek industry.
“Il Consiglio governativo per Esteri e Difesa della Grecia ha dato il via a programmi per droni, satelliti, missili Hellfire, veicoli subacquei e fregate”
Euronews reported that Dendias said the Greek defense industry would participate with commesse for about 700 million euros, and described the system as a “sistema integrato di comando e controllo” linking sensors and weapons through a platform developed in Greece using applications of intelligence artificiale.
The Defense Post said the ministry document placed the Achilles Shield approval at a meeting of the Greek council of foreign affairs and defense (KYSEA) headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and said the ministry source requested anonymity pending an official statement.
Le Monde framed the modernization drive as a response to decades of tensions with neighboring Turkey, noting Greece has traditionally invested at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense and is now one of only four European NATO members to spend at least 3% of GDP on its military.
Breaking Defense also said Greece is racing to develop a sprawling air defense “shield” meant to defend against missiles, rockets and, especially, one-way drones, and it described the Achilles Shield as part of a broader effort that should be ready 35 months “from today.”
