Hellenic News Update 19-06-2025

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Naval Group launches HS Formion, third Greek FDI - May 29, 2025
Eight months after the second Greek frigate, it is already the turn of the third sistership to take to the water for the first time, joining the yard’s docks so that outfitting work can continue. However, no break was given to Naval Group’s workers as the next day on May 29th, the frigate has welcomed her PSIM mast. The PSIM mast is one of, if not the most critical part of the ship. Weighing 150 tonnes and standing 42 meters tall, the integrated steel mast, known as the Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM), incorporates the ship’s Command Information Center (CIC) with the latest version of the SETIS Combat Management System (CMS), a planning room for mission command staff during flagship operations, and one of the two digital data processing centers (the other is located aft in the hull for survivability). Read more

Greece to use Israeli BlueWhale unmanned submarine to improve maritime intelligence gathering - May 27, 2025
During the DEFEA 2025 defense exhibition in Athens, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer the BlueWhale autonomous submarine system to the Hellenic Navy. This agreement formalizes a bilateral defense cooperation project involving the integration of IAI’s BlueWhale unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) into Greek naval operations, with HAI assuming a key role in its development and production. The Greek Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) will participate in technological processes related to the system's adaptation, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will provide access to its advanced know-how and facilitate a transfer of technology. Read more

Battle stations for industry - April 29, 2025
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and local industry last week took the first coordinated step toward creating a Greek defense cluster, to operate in collaboration with the government for increasing the domestic added value in Greek armament programs and participating in aspects of the ReArm Europe plan, with a budget of 800 billion euros. What became clear in the broad meeting at the PM’s office, held with the participation of 15 Greek companies in the sector, is that Greece has the know-how and production capacity to play an important role in this field. The meeting was attended by the heads or representatives of the groups Viohalco, Metlen, Saracakis, GEK Terna, Aeroservices, the shipyards of Skaramangas, Salamina and Elefsis, EFA, Intracom Defense, Miltech, Prisma Electronics, Sotiria Technology, as well as state-owned companies EAB and EAS. Read more

India eyes strategic push in Greece - May 26, 2025
India is exploring strategic investments in Greece, targeting defense industries, ports, tourism, and potential labor agreements, as part of its broader effort to strengthen its presence in Europe. New Delhi has shown interest in investing in Greece’s defense sector, particularly the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) and Hellenic Defense Systems (EAS). This aligns with broader European defense rearmament trends, and follows Athens’ recent strategic partnerships with countries like Israel. Indian defense firms have expressed preliminary interest, while military cooperation between the two nations has intensified in recent years. Read more

Greece Remains Tops EU Defense Spender at 3.08% of GDP - May 21, 2025
Greece remains one of the European Union’s top defense spenders, allocating 3.08% of its GDP to military expenditures in 2024 — far surpassing NATO’s 2% guideline. The country’s military investments come as EU nations dramatically increase their defense budgets in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising global security tensions. A new European Parliamentary Research Service report shows that EU Member States collectively raised their defense spending from €218 billion in 2021 to €326 billion in 2024 — a 30% increase in real terms. But Greece, long accustomed to maintaining high defense outlays, stands out not just for meeting the 2% benchmark, but for consistently exceeding it — even during the depths of its financial crisis. Read more

Greece to host large-scale US Army exercise - May 15, 2025
One of the largest US Army exercises in Europe is set to take place over the coming weeks, primarily in the Balkans, with the main phase of the exercise to be conducted in Greece, specifically in Petrochori, Xanthi, from May 26 to June 6. Approximately 2,000 US military personnel will be deployed to Greece, along with forces from France, Bulgaria, Spain and North Macedonia. Smaller-scale scenarios will be simultaneously carried out in Slovakia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Croatia. The multinational exercise, known as LIVEX Immediate Response 2025, will feature several key training scenarios in Greece, including river-crossing operations, air assault missions and offensive operations. Read more

Production of Greek F-35s to start in coming weeks, says Lockheed Martin official - May 14, 2025
The official program kickoff for the production of Greek F-35 fighter jets will start in the coming weeks, Mara Motherway, Lockheed Martin vice president of Strategy and Business Development, told Kathimerini. Motherway was in Athens as part of the international defense and security exhibition DEFEA 2025 and revealed interesting information about the Greek fifth generation fighters. Earlier in May, the US Department of Defense greenlit a $17.2 million contract with Lockheed Martin to provide engineering and technical support for Greece’s inclusion into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, marking a significant step in strengthening NATO’s southeastern flank. Read more

EOS and EODH Partner to Enhance Greek Defense Autonomy Through Local Production of Remote Weapon Systems - May 13, 2025
At the 2025 edition of the DEFEA defense exhibition in Athens, EOS Defence Systems and the Greek company EODH officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on the local assembly of Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) in Greece. This agreement represents a significant step in strengthening sovereign industrial capabilities and reflects a shared intention to deepen defense cooperation in Southeastern Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, EODH will oversee the local assembly of EOS-developed RWS for integration into future Greek defense programs. Read more

Hellenic Army to receive two V-BAT drones - May 13, 2025
The Hellenic Army is set to receive two new American-made V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), donated by the Laskaridis Foundation. The UAVs will be officially handed over during a special ceremony on Wednesday morning, where Prime Minister Mitsotakis is scheduled to deliver a speech. The V-BATs will patrol Greece’s eastern borders, with one reportedly assigned to the region of Thrace and the northern Aegean and the other to the Dodecanese and the southeastern Mediterranean. The V-BAT is an advanced UAV featuring Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities, enabling it to operate in almost any terrain without the need for a runway. Among the system’s international users are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and now, Greece. Read more

Defense startups are flourishing - May 13, 2025
DEFEA, one of Europe’s biggest defense industry exhibitions, held in Athens last week, saw considerable international interest not only in major industries in the sector, but also in Greek startups that have already secured contracts with third-country armed forces. With the ReArm program for the rearmament of Europe throwing 800 billion euros into the fray and the recently announced Greek armaments programs worth €25 billion, the defense and security market in which these companies operate is currently experiencing its own big bang. “Many of them could play a leading role in the effort to extract synergies between defense programs and civil protection actions,” a top government source explains to Kathimerini. Read more

Greece targets 25% local role in €28bln defense spend - May 12, 2025
Greece’s goal of ensuring at least 25% domestic participation in its €28 billion arms procurement budget through 2036 is an ambitious and complex undertaking. For the first time in decades, both large defense firms and smaller start-ups are being called to play a meaningful role in major procurement programs. Major domestic players, including state-owned EAB and EAS as well as private firms like METKA – which already produce parts for systems like the Patriot and Leopard-2 – are expected to shape the future of Greek defense production. Longstanding partnerships, such as EAB’s cooperation with Lockheed Martin on C-130 and F-16 components, will likely be central. However, in large-scale programs – fighter jets, warships, and eventually submarines – domestic capacity remains limited. Read more

Thales is shaping the future of defense in Greece – Pascale Sourisse’s exclusive interview to ‘N’ - May 9,2025
In a Europe that is now aware of the need for strategic autonomy and strengthening its defense capabilities, a French technological and defense giant is investing steadily and dynamically in Greece. Thales, with 50 years of uninterrupted presence in the country, is expanding its footprint, proceeding with new military and technological agreements. Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice-President and member of the Executive Committee, who visited our country for the international DEFEA exhibition, spoke exclusively to “N” about the future of Greek defense, the new European geostrategic reality and the power of artificial intelligence. Read more

Space Hellas: Three new projects in the field of cyber defense through the European Defence Fund - May 9, 2025
Space Hellas is strengthening its presence in the defense sector with three new development projects in the European Defense Fund (EDF), in which its contribution is focused on the field of cyber defense. As the company emphasized, these projects are added to Space Hellas’ already rich portfolio in the cyber defense sector, which now numbers 10 projects out of a total of 21 active projects in the broader area of cybersecurity, a fact that consolidates the company’s know-how, competitiveness and international collaborations in the field. In fact, the management of the listed company expressed its warm thanks to its partners and associates, noting that it looks forward to achieving substantial results for Defense with significant Greek added value. Read more

Greek defense industry eyes bigger role - May 9, 2025
Greece unveiled a series of defense industry agreements during the three-day DEFEA 2025 exhibition at the Metropolitan Expo Center, where 436 exhibitors from 37 countries showcased defense systems. Eighteen national pavilions, including those of India, Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, were present. The event focused on Greece’s long-term armament plan, with a €28 billion budget over 20 years (12+8) attracting domestic and international interest. Government officials emphasized that Greek defense companies should prioritize product development, not just partnerships with major foreign firms. Among key agreements, Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced a potential collaboration to manufacture the BlueWhale unmanned underwater vehicle. Read more

Naval Group & HAI Sign MoU for FDI Frigate C-UAS capabilities - May 8, 2025
At DEFEA 2025, Naval News learned that Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) has signed a MoU with Naval Group to integrate the combat-proven CENTAUR counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) aboard the Hellenic Navy’s Kimon-class (FDI HN) frigates, with plans to extend the integration to other surface vessels, including the French Navy’s FDI frigates. This agreement aims to enhance the frigates’ capabilities with a fully integrated solution for countering the growing threat of unmanned aerial systems—from detection to interception. As previously reported by Naval News, the Hellenic Navy’s FDI frigates will be equipped with an integrated radar-electronic countermeasure system featuring two jamming subsystems. This includes the R-ECM subsystem of VIRGILIUS from Italian manufacturer Elt Group—already in service on PPAs and set to equip FREMM EVO—integrated with Thales software into the ship’s electronic warfare suite. Read more

Greece leverages defense spending to underscore US alignment - May 7, 2025
Greece is stepping up efforts to underscore its strategic value to the United States, highlighting its role in Southeastern Europe and NATO’s southern flank, while reminding Washington that the US defense industry remains a key supplier to the Greek Armed Forces – not only for major platforms like the F35 fighter jet, but also for a wide range of secondary systems. A substantial portion of the approximately €3 billion in additional defense spending – beyond the €25 billion set out in Greece’s 12-year procurement plan– is expected to be directed toward US systems. The extra funds stem from the activation of the EU’s fiscal escape clause, allowing increased military investment. Read more

Innovation needs to start at home - May 6, 2025
Talk about Greece’s imperative need for innovation has been stirred up again in recent days by a flurry of announcements concerning new defense procurement plans and the buzz surrounding a major defense exhibition taking place on the outskirts of Athens. The discussion about the need for a “national innovation” drive is not new, and it has been covered extensively in these pages. It is a drive that has been on the back burner for way too long, for reasons that are more or less known and which stem from the economic crisis of the 2010s, from a failure by successive governments to draft a comprehensive defense policy, and from the absence of meritocracy. The discussion, however, always provokes keen interest. That said, it also tends to be carried out at a disconnect from the country’s social and economic realities. Read more

Greece aims to boost domestic defense industry’s role, Dendias says - May 6, 2025
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said that Greece aims for its domestic defense industry to participate in national procurement programs during a speech at DEFEA 2025 (Defense Exhibition Athens). According to Dendias, the Long-Term Defense Armament Plan (MPAE) will cover a 20-year horizon, adding that innovative armament programs have been planned, focusing on modern warfare requirements. “Our primary objective is for the Greek defense industry to participate in at least 25% of these procurement programs,” Dendias said. Reflecting on past defense spending, he emphasized that large amounts were spent in the wrong direction. Read more

US greenlights Lockheed Martin contract for Greece’s F-35 tech support - May 6, 2025
The US Department of Defense has greenlit a $17.2 million contract with defence contractor Lockheed Martin to provide engineering and technical support for Greece’s inclusion into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, marking a significant step in strengthening NATO’s southeastern flank. The contract aims to deliver “engineering and technical support, program management, non-recurring unique requirements, and training in support of integration efforts for the government for Greece as an F-35 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer,” the Department of Defence said in a press release on May 5. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%; Orlando, Florida (18%); Greenville, South Carolina (11%); El Segundo, California (5%); Lancashire, United Kingdom (4%); and Baltimore, Maryland (2%), and is expected to be completed in May 2028, it added. Read more

Deepening Greece-Israel defense strategy cooperation - May 1, 2025
The deepening and broadening of strategic defense cooperation between Israel and Greece is emphasized in an exclusive interview with Kathimerini by the head of the Directorate of International Defense Cooperation of the Israeli Ministry of Defense (SIBAT), Brigadier General (ret.) Yair Kulas. It comes in the wake of the announcement of the 12-year defense plan by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. Read more

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