Hellenic News Update 11-12-2024

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Drones integrated into Greek Armed Forces’ arsenal - November 29, 2024
The Greek armed forces are steadily integrating advanced unmanned systems, including loitering munitions, surveillance and strike UAVs, drones for intelligence gathering, target tracking, and firing-data provision, as well as surface and underwater drones. These technologies, included in a development plan through 2030 and backed by the country’s political and military leadership, are being tested in exercises and joint training, with officers closely monitoring their performance. Lessons from military operations in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown that drones are now integral to military operations. Although Greece’s first remote military system flew in 1982, both the military and defense industry have struggled to keep up with technological advancements, due in part to the economic crisis and a focus on other military systems. Read more

Greece and Türkiye Draw Inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome to Develop Their Own Air Defense Systems - November 26, 2024
Amid ongoing strategic competition, Greece and Türkiye, despite being NATO allies, are intensifying efforts to develop advanced air defense systems, as reported by Forbes. While their approaches differ significantly, both nations share a key similarity: they draw substantial inspiration from Israel’s battle-tested defense technologies. Greece seeks to collaborate with Israel to either acquire or co-develop systems modeled after the Iron Dome, while Türkiye is pursuing an autonomous approach with its "Steel Dome" project, emphasizing self-reliance against perceived threats. Read more

Greece to transfer S-300 and Tor-M1 air defense systems to Armenia instead of Ukraine in strategic shift - November 26, 2024
According to Enikos.gr on November 25, 2024, Greece is proceeding with the transfer of several Russian-made air defense systems, including the S-300 PMU-1, Tor-M1, and Osa-AK, to Armenia instead of Ukraine as part of its broader strategy to replace aging equipment with Western and Israeli technologies. This decision aligns with the Greek Armed Forces' plan to de-Russify its arsenal and address challenges related to maintaining Russian systems, which have been exacerbated by sanctions on Russia and associated supply chain disruptions. Read more

Greece Calls on NATO’s European Allies to Boost Defense Spending - November 26, 2024
Greece’s PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on all European NATO allies on Tuesday to boost their defense spending and create a common anti-missile defense given the developments in Ukraine and the Middle East. Mitsotakis was speaking after the meeting in Athens with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on his first visit to Athens after taking office. “We agreed on one of the fundamental priorities, the need to strengthen our collective defense,” Mitsotakis said. “Greece invests a little more than 3 percent of its GDP in defense. We are one of the protagonists in Europe and I want to remind you that we invested more than 2 percent in defense and in the very difficult times of the bailout era when other European countries invested much less than that,” he added. Read more

Cyprus Presents a Plan in Collaboration with US for NATO Membership - November 25, 2024
The Republic of Cyprus, under the leadership of President Nikos Christodoulidis, is advancing a plan for gradual integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This initiative, developed both politically and strategically, was recently formalized during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, as reported by Kathimerini. The Cypriot plan, received positively in Washington, signals a shift in the island's geopolitical positioning and an effort to deepen its engagement within the Euro-Atlantic framework. However, this ambition presents both strategic opportunities and significant political challenges. Read more

Greek interest in Apache helicopters as drone hunters - November 18, 2024
Greek military officials are closely examining Israel’s repurposed use of Apache attack helicopters to intercept drones and are reviewing footage of Israeli drone engagement operations as part of a local effort to upgrade Greece’s first-generation Apaches. Drones, particularly Loitering Munitions – commonly known as drone-kamikazes – are frequently used by Hezbollah to exploit weaknesses in Israel’s Iron Dome, penetrating its defenses and causing significant damage and casualties. “Intercepting drone-kamikazes presents several challenges,” an Israeli military source told Kathimerini. “They are made from synthetic materials and lack heat traces, making them hard to detect quickly. They also fly slowly and at low altitudes over highways or populated areas, making missile interception risky and potentially dangerous for civilians,” the source added. Read more

US Approves Support for Greek F-16 Engines to Ensure Security in Eastern Mediterranean - November 15, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to the Greek government for the maintenance and support of its F-16 engines, along with associated logistical and programmatic elements. This transaction, valued at approximately $160 million, marks a significant step in U.S.-Greece cooperation to sustain and enhance the operational readiness of Greece's F-16 fleet. Greece operates a fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons, a multirole fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin in the 1970s. The versions in service include Block 30, Block 50, Block 52+, and Block 52+ Advanced. These aircraft are equipped with AN/APG-68(V)9 radars, providing improved target detection and tracking. Read more

France's Thales and MBDA Push SAMP/T Air Defense System to Greece Amid Stiff Israeli Competition - November 15, 2024
Thales and MBDA, two of France’s leading defense manufacturers, are working through their joint venture EUROSAM to persuade Greece to adopt the SAMP/T air defense missile system. This effort comes as Greece seeks to establish an advanced protective shield similar to Israel’s Iron Dome amid ongoing tensions with Turkey. However, the competition with Israel’s defense offerings, particularly the SPYDER system, is shaping up to be fierce. EUROSAM is a European defense consortium established in 1989 as a collaboration between Thales and MBDA (a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo). Read more

Armed Forces: Their new structure – What the Greek Iron Dome will look like, 200 F-35s, Rafale, Viper and new frigates - November 15, 2024
The multiplication of combat power, the use of high technology, and the ability to deter any threat are at the heart of the new structure of the country’s Armed Forces. Greece, which is in talks with Israel to leverage its experience in creating its own “Iron Dome,” a multi-layered anti-air, anti-missile, and anti-drone system that can intercept hypersonic missiles even outside Earth’s atmosphere, is strengthening itself on all levels. The design involves the Air Force acquiring 200 4.5th and 5th-generation aircraft for the Air Defense, the Navy being reinforced with 16 main surface combat units, the islands being “fortified” with 3rd-generation battle tanks and the addition of long-range strategic missiles, as well as the use of unmanned vehicles, drones, and anti-drone systems at each unit. Additionally, the Armed Forces will acquire their own satellite. Read more

Defense minister confirms closure of dozens of military bases - November 14, 2024
Announcing the broad strokes of a major overhaul of the Armed Forces, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Thursday confirmed plans to shut down dozens of military bases across the country and transition to “flexible units.” “We are proceeding with the closure of 137 bases, aiming to complete this by 2025. We’re doing it because we don’t have the money to close an additional 250,” Dendias said in a briefing to Parliament’s Standing Committee for National Defense and Foreign Affairs, noting that Greece has more bases than the United States. “It doesn’t make sense to have 800 camps, even more than the US. But I know what it means to close military bases, and I need support,” Dendias added… Read more

Plan to reshape armed forces for the future - November 13, 2024
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias is set to introduce a significant overhaul of the nation’s military structure, aiming for greater efficiency and modernization across all branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The detailed plan will be presented in Parliament on Wednesday, with an advance briefing given to members of the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. The new strategy focuses on optimizing the Army, Navy and Air Force to meet current operational needs more effectively. Key changes include the dissolution of at least six understaffed infantry battalions within the Army, reallocating personnel to units with a targeted staffing level of 70%. This restructuring aims to move away from maintaining military installations purely for local economic support, a long-standing practice. Read more

Salamis Shipyards signs long-term deal with naval group for frigate maintenance - November 9, 2024
Salamis Shipyards on Friday announced the signing of a new six-year framework agreement with Naval Group for the follow-on support of FDI Belharra frigates. The agreement was signed on Tuesday, during the company’s participation in the Euronaval 2024 defense exhibition held in Paris. The new contract envisages work for the maintenance and repair of the hull, superconstruction of all the systems on frigates of this type in the context of the pipework networks, and any work that needs to be done to upgrade them in the future. Read more

Salamis Shipyards deliver the first 2 Island-type patrol boats to the Navy - November 4, 2024
The Salamis Shipyards successfully completed on October 10 and 11, 2024, the reactivation work as well as all the tests on the first two Island-type patrol vessels, with the two vessels now docked at the Salamis Naval Station. It is an important and demanding project, according to the announcement, that requires a combination of knowledge, as it includes repair, reactivation, and upgrade operations. Salamis Shipyards have been pioneers in similar projects in the past and, therefore, their choice for the implementation of the program by the United States Coast Guard did not come as a surprise. Read more

Defense Ministry’s new armament package imminent - November 1, 2024
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias is preparing to present, within the next few days, a twelve-year defense package designed to strengthen and modernize the country’s defense capabilities. The plan, based on operational needs identified by armed forces staff, is expected to be presented to the Parliamentary Arms Committee by mid-November for approval. It will outline programs for immediate, medium-, and long-term implementation of defense systems stretching well into the next decade, with an eye on modern operational landscapes and emerging threats that the Greek armed forces must be prepared to face. Read more

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