The Government of Greece on Thursday approved a €4.2 billion arms programme, including the purchase from Israel of an air and missile defence shield costing roughly €3 billion, a Greek Defence Ministry source told French news agency AFP.
The system, known as the 'Achilles Shield,' was approved at a meeting of the governmental council for defence and foreign affairs, the source said.
According to a Defence Ministry document seen by AFP, the wider programme also includes C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, Heron drones, missiles for Apache helicopters, Victa stealth boats for special operations, and sonar systems for frigates.
The Achilles Shield is a layered, integrated air and missile defence system made up of interconnected components designed to protect Greek territory from drones, aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
Greece spends about 3% of its gross domestic product on defence, above NATO’s 2% target, citing tensions with its neighbour and historic rival Turkey, which is also a member of the alliance.
In April 2025, as security challenges in Europe intensified, the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched a 12-year overhaul of the armed forces worth about €25 billion, describing it as the biggest such programme in the country’s modern history.
Since Mitsotakis came to power in 2019, Greece has invested heavily in modernising its military, including the purchase of French Belharra frigates and Rafale fighter jets.
Athens has also signed an agreement to acquire 20 US-made F-35 fighter aircraft.
