Greece's 'Shield of Achilles' air‑defence program cleared by K.Y.S.E.A

On 23 July, Greece’s Government Council for National Security (K.Y.S.E.A) gave final approval to the multi‑billion‑euro “Shield of Achilles” programme. The plan creates a multilayered air‑defence architecture centred on three Israeli systems – Spyder All‑in‑One, Barak MX and David’s Sling – with an estimated cost of about €3 billion.

The package also includes three C‑390 transport aircraft from Embraer, V‑BAT autonomous drones, Heron UAVs, Victa submersible vehicles, Hellfire missiles for Apache helicopters, upgraded MEKO warships sonar and other anti‑drone and cyber‑defence measures. The total value of the ten‑programme bundle reaches roughly €4.3 billion, with a minimum 25 % share earmarked for the Greek defence industry. The system is intended to protect islands and the mainland against missiles, drones, cruise‑missile attacks and hybrid threats.

Parliamentary committees have already cleared several elements, and foreign delegations are expected in Athens to sign the contracts.