Greece signs $3.5bn defence deal with Israel for Achilles Shield
Greece and Israel have signed a $3.5bn defence deal to build an integrated air and missile defence network known as Achilles Shield. The agreement was concluded on Monday and is described as the largest defence deal ever between the two countries. It is intended to combine interceptors, radars and drone-defence systems into a single layered shield for Greek territory.
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The package includes the David's Sling and Spyder interceptor systems, the Barak air and missile defence system and multimission radars. A separate deal adds Drone Dome systems to protect strategic sites from unmanned aerial vehicles. Greece's Defence Minister Nikos Dendias has said modern conflicts have changed the parameters of military defence and deterrence, underscoring the rationale for the purchase.
The deal comes amid heightened concern in the region over drone and missile threats. The source says an Iranian drone struck Cyprus in early March, which likely reinforced anxieties in Athens, while Israel and the United States previously intercepted about 300 Iranian drones and missiles. The agreement also reflects Israel's long-standing use of defence exports to deepen bilateral ties, as well as Greece's effort to strengthen protection for key infrastructure and military assets.
The procurement is also significant because it deepens military-industrial cooperation between Greece and Israel at a time when Israel's global standing is described in the source as being at a low point and public opinion in Greece is reported to be largely unfavourable toward Israel. Even so, the two governments have moved ahead with a deal that is being presented as a practical response to evolving aerial threats. The source also notes that Greece is the second European Union member to agree to buy David's Sling, after Finland.
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The agreement is expected to be completed by 2029, although the full financing structure and delivery timetable for each system have not been made clear. It is also not yet known which sites will be prioritised first or how quickly crews will be trained. What to watch next is whether the project stays on schedule and whether further related contracts follow as Greece reshapes its air defence architecture.
Greece has signed a $3.5bn defence agreement with Israel to acquire its first integrated multi-layered air defence network. The deal was announced on Monday and is expected to be completed by 2029. It will bring together several Israeli systems in a single shield designed to strengthen Greece's protection against a range of aerial threats.
According to the information provided, the agreement was negotiated over three years and is described by Israel as one of the largest in its history. The network will include the SPYDER system, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the BARAK MX system, made by Israel Aerospace Industries, and David's Sling air defence technology. Greece's Defence Minister, Nikos Dendias, said modern conflicts had changed the parameters of military defence and deterrence.
The systems are intended to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, large drones and, in the case of BARAK, incoming ballistic missiles as well. Greece also signed a separate $30m deal with Israel for Rafael's Drone Dome system to defend strategic sites against unmanned aerial vehicles and drones. The package suggests a broader effort to reinforce existing defences and protect key infrastructure.
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The agreement comes at a time when Israeli weapons exports are reported to be rising sharply, with official data cited in the source putting them at more than $19bn last year, a 30% increase from 2024. It also reflects how European states are reassessing air defence after the war in Ukraine, which has highlighted the importance of intercepting missiles, drones and other airborne threats. For Greece, the deal appears to be part of a wider effort to adapt to what its defence minister described as the realities of hybrid warfare, cyber threats and the interconnection of different operational domains.
The source says Greece is the second European Union member to agree to buy David's Sling, after Finland. It also notes that the systems are being viewed as relevant to threats coming from the east, although no further operational details were provided. The deal adds to Israel's growing defence export profile and deepens military-industrial ties between the two countries.
What remains unclear is the full financing structure, the delivery timetable for each system and how the network will be integrated into Greece's existing air defence architecture. It is also not clear which sites will be prioritised first or how quickly crews will be trained. The key point to watch is whether the project stays on schedule toward the 2029 target and whether further related contracts follow.
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