Israel and Greece signed a defence deal worth more than $3.4 billion on Monday, under which Athens will receive “a multilayered defence array” based on Israeli systems.
The “Achilles Shield” accord is one of the largest defence export deals in Israel's history and marks the first time it will supply another country with a “complete defence array”, according its Ministry of Defence. A second deal will involve Israel supplying Greece with anti-drone systems.
The agreement comes as tension between Israel and Turkey is mounting, with senior officials in both countries escalating their rhetoric against each other. Tension between Greece and Turkey, both Nato members and long-time rivals in the eastern Mediterranean, is also rising, as Greece seeks to modernise its defensive systems.
Achilles Shield will include Israeli systems such as David’s Sling and Spyder, manufactured by Israeli defence company Rafael, and Barak MK, made by Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as a new national command and control system developed by Rafael.
The two countries also announced they will “expand industrial defence co-operation”. Greece currently spends the equivalent of 3.5 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence, a higher share than most Nato members.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the deal was “another expression of the depth of the strategic relationship between Israel and Greece and of our shared determination to keep strengthening it”.
“Israel and Greece share common strategic interests and face shared regional challenges,” he added. “At a time when actors with hegemonic ambitions are seeking to expand their influence and undermine stability in the region, Israel and Greece will continue to deepen their defence and strategic co-operation, and will act with determination to preserve stability and safeguard their security and shared interests.”
Throughout his ministerial career, Mr Katz has railed against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In August, he said Mr Erdogan was “dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures” after Israel had carried out an air strike in Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the attack was carried out because “Syria was on the verge of breaching [an agreement] by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo”.
