Greece has announced a €25 billion ($27 billion) military modernization plan over the next decade to adapt to emerging high-tech warfare, officials revealed on Wednesday.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias informed parliament that the initiative will center around a new air defense system, “Achilles Shield,” designed primarily to address ongoing tensions with neighboring Turkey. The two NATO allies have a history of disputes over territorial boundaries in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean, bringing them to the brink of conflict multiple times in recent decades.
Dendias emphasized that Greece will transition from conventional defense structures to an advanced, interconnected strategy incorporating AI-driven missile systems, drone technologies, and mobile command units—reducing dependence on traditional naval fleets.
The modernization effort will also introduce next-generation soldier equipment integrated with sensors and communication networks, alongside dedicated satellite capabilities to maintain secure military communications during operations.
“This is a fundamental issue for the nation—a complete transformation of our defense strategy,” Dendias stated. “We are moving beyond the traditional approach that sees the Aegean’s defense as reliant solely on naval forces.”
Lawmakers will review the proposal behind closed doors in the coming weeks. The plan also includes strengthening collaboration with domestic tech startups and a significant restructuring of military personnel—merging units, closing underutilized bases, and streamlining the command structure.
This initiative follows broader European defense spending increases in response to the war in Ukraine and potential reductions in U.S. defense commitments under a future Trump administration.
Greece’s military overhaul—revitalized after years of budget cuts during the 2010–2018 financial crisis—extends across all branches of the armed forces, with strategic partnerships involving France, Israel, and the United States. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior defense officials in Israel.
On Wednesday, Mitsotakis rejected calls from opposition parties to abandon plans to procure U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in favor of a European alternative, calling the purchase a vital “long-term investment.”
