Greece Strengthens Defense Cooperation with Israel
Greece, benefiting from its important geopolitical position in the Eastern Mediterranean near the Middle East, aims to enhance its role in the region.
Greek soldiers in Thessaloniki, Greece, on October 28, 2024. (AFP / SAKIS MITROLIDIS)
As part of the modernization of its armed forces, Greece signed a contract on Monday, April 6, to acquire a rocket artillery system from the Israeli company Elbit Systems. The defense equipment and investments department of the Greek Ministry of Defense announced the signing of the agreement in Athens.
The deal involves the acquisition of the Precise & Universal Launching System (PULS) artillery rocket system, costing approximately 690 million euros. The contract also includes artillery, missiles, and long-term system maintenance.
Elbit Systems will act as the main contractor and provide the PULS launchers along with a full set of ammunition.
Large-Scale Defense Program Worth 26 Billion Euros
Israeli Defense Minister, IsraAel Katz, praised the expanded defense cooperation between Israel and Greece, reflecting the deepening strategic security partnership.
In late 2024, Greece, a member of the EU and NATO, announced a vast modernization program for its armed forces, involving investments of around 26 billion euros by 2036. This includes enhancing anti-aircraft defense systems and upgrading its current anti-aircraft system with new weapons such as drones and radars.
Due to its significant geopolitical position in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece aims to bolster its role in the region and allocates over 3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense.
