- 10-year €25B modernization plan targets AI-powered defense systems
- New 'Achilles Shield' air network counters Turkish territorial disputes
- Drone fleets and satellite tech replace conventional naval reliance
In a historic strategic pivot, Greece unveiled a sweeping €25 billion military transformation designed to address 21st-century security challenges. Defense Minister Nikos Dendias emphasized the plan moves beyond Cold War-era doctrines, prioritizing mobile artificial intelligence systems over traditional battleship formations. This shift responds to escalating tensions with neighboring Turkey, where competing claims over Aegean energy resources have sparked multiple near-conflicts since 2020.
The centerpiece 'Achilles Shield' initiative integrates real-time data from 148 new surveillance drones with land-based hypervelocity missiles. Military analysts note this networked approach mirrors Israel's Iron Dome framework, leveraging Greece's recently signed defense pact with Jerusalem. A joint NATO exercise in October 2023 demonstrated how Greek F-35 jets could coordinate with French satellite constellations to track maritime incursions.
Industry observers highlight three critical innovations in the plan: First, 40% of R&D budgets will fund partnerships with Athenian tech startups specializing in quantum radar and cyber deception systems. Second, soldiers will deploy with augmented reality visors that overlay terrain data and enemy positions – technology battle-tested in Ukraine's Donbas region. Third, Greece plans to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite by 2027, reducing dependence on US GPS networks.
This modernization drive arrives as European defense spending hits 2.1% of GDP – the highest level since 1991. With US political uncertainty complicating NATO commitments, Greece's investment in indigenous tech capabilities sets a precedent for mid-sized EU members. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently defended the controversial F-35 purchase during talks in Washington, asserting that fifth-gen fighters remain vital for Mediterranean air dominance despite EU Parliament calls for 'European defense autonomy'.
Personnel reforms aim to address structural inefficiencies exacerbated by 2010s austerity measures. The army will reduce active personnel by 12,000 while creating 5,000 new roles in drone operations and cyber warfare. Seven aging naval bases near Crete will close, with savings redirected toward AI training centers in Thessaloniki. Critics argue the plan underestimates Turkey's own drone arsenal, but Dendias counters that Greece's tech-first strategy 'changes the calculus of confrontation entirely'.