Greece Signs $3.5 Billion Deal for Israeli Achilles Shield

The deal secures a sophisticated suite of hardware, including David’s Sling and SPYDER systems from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, alongside the BARAK MX platform from Israel Aerospace Industries. These assets will be integrated into a unified national command and control architecture, also engineered by Rafael. ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of IAI, will provide the MMR multi-mission radars essential for the network’s surveillance coverage.

For Israel, this contract solidifies the global standing of the David’s Sling system, which recently saw combat deployment during regional escalations. Greece becomes only the second international customer for the technology, following Finland. Beyond the primary agreement, a separate €26 million contract for Rafael’s Drone Dome systems underscores the urgent priority Athens places on mitigating low-cost aerial threats.

This procurement is a cornerstone of a €28 billion spending plan running through 2036, intended to overhaul the Greek armed forces. Currently allocating roughly 3.5% of its GDP to defense, Greece is balancing these Israeli systems with other major acquisitions, including American F-35 fighter jets and naval vessels from France and Italy. The partnership extends beyond hardware; Israel plans to facilitate technology transfers to local Greek firms, fostering long-term domestic maintenance and development capacity.