ATHENS

Greek parliament’s Standing Committee for Armament Programs approved the purchase of Israeli-made air defense systems for the country’s Achilles Shield program, the public broadcaster ERT reported on Monday.

The committee also approved funding for the upgrade of 38 additional F-16 jets to the modern Viper version, as well as infrastructure work to host F-35 jets at Andravida Air Base, among other projects.

Greece's Achilles Shield is a major multi-layered national air and missile defense program launched in April 2025 by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

It aims to create an integrated "dome" protecting Greek territory (land and sea) against a wide range of threats, including drones, loitering munitions, cruise and ballistic missiles, aircraft, ships, and underwater threats -- often described as a five-tier, multi-domain system.

The program draws heavily on Israeli defense technology, including systems like Spyder, Barak MX, and David's Sling for short-, medium-, and long-range coverage.

Greece signed a deal in July 2024 to purchase 20 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters from the US via a Foreign Military Sale, with deliveries expected to begin in late 2028 and continue into the early 2030s.

The initial batch, including support, training, simulators, and related equipment, is valued at around $3.5 billion.