Greece signs $3.5bn air defence deal with Israel

What the report says

Greece has signed a $3.5bn defence agreement with Israel to build its first integrated, multi-layered air defence network, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting. The deal was announced on Monday and is expected to be completed by 2029. It follows roughly three years of negotiations and is described by Israeli officials as one of the largest defence agreements in the country’s history.

Under the plan, engineers will install an aerial defence shield that combines several Israeli systems. Al Jazeera reported that these include the SPYDER system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, BARAK MX from Israel Aerospace Industries and David’s Sling technology. Greece also separately agreed to buy Rafael’s Drone Dome system for $30m to protect strategic sites from drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said the agreement reflects changes in modern warfare, citing threats such as ballistic missiles, cyber risks, unmanned systems and hybrid attacks. Al Jazeera’s Athens correspondent said the systems are intended to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, large drones and, in the case of BARAK, ballistic missiles as well.

The deal comes amid rising Israeli arms exports and a shifting security environment in Europe shaped by the war in Ukraine. Greece, which already spends a relatively high share of GDP on defence and has long-standing tensions with Turkiye, appears to be strengthening its air defences in response to concerns from both the east and the wider region.