The Greek government wants to “rapidly modernize its armed forces to meet the demands of the 21st century”.
This is what Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said in parliament on November 14. Close to the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, the country is facing “a different reality”, he believes, and therefore needs to acquire equipment more suitable for modern conflicts, including drones. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis believes that this reorganization of the army will be “the most important ever undertaken in the history of the Greek state in terms of national defense.”
Greece, a NATO member since 1952, already spends almost 3 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, one of the highest levels in the alliance. The country has increased its investment in recent years, citing the risk of tensions with its historic rival Turkey, which joined NATO at the same time.
Despite the lull in these tensions after the terrible earthquake in Turkey in February 2023, Athens does not want to fall behind Ankara in the arms race. Faced with the risk of the war spreading to the Middle East, the Turkish government has announced plans to build an “Iron Dome.” Now the Greek government appears to be moving in the same direction: according to Reuters, Greece is in advanced discussions with Israel to develop an anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense system a defense inspired by the “Iron Dome” created by the Jewish state.The project is estimated to cost 2 billion euros.
Greece also plans to buy up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles from the US, as well as four Belhara frigates and Rafale fighter jets from France. The Greek frigates will also be equipped with a domestically produced anti-drone system, which has already been used against the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
In total, this massive military program is expected to cost €12.8 billion between now and 2035. In return, the Ministry of Defense plans to close 137 barracks in mainland Greece. Instead, the focus will be on protecting its eastern land border and islands in the Aegean Sea, increasing the number of troops and military installations. Dendias pointed out that the country has over 800 military camps, more than the United States itself. Some of them are operating at full capacity, such as in the Peloponnese in the south of the country, while others in Evros are half-empty.
While no political figure opposes this arms race, some question the road map. For Syriza MP Evangelos Apostolakis, “the continuous modernization and strengthening of our military capabilities is essential,” but it is not yet clear how this new modernization will affect the country’s budget. New Left MP Athanasia Anagnostopoulou also expressed doubts about the Iron Dome system. “We are taking a model from another country, Israel, with a completely different geophysical topography and a completely different geopolitical situation,” she emphasized during the parliamentary debate, BGNES reported. “This issue needs more discussion.”
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What specific defense capabilities is Greece aiming to enhance through its modernization efforts, and how do these align with its strategic objectives in the Eastern Mediterranean?
Distance questions to encourage informative answers and insights into the various dimensions of the topic being discussed. How will the new military modernization plans impact Greece’s relationship with its allies, particularly Turkey and Israel? Can you provide details about the specific equipment that Greece plans to acquire through its defense budget, and how will they contribute to the country’s national security strategy? What do you think are the potential challenges associated with this ambitious military program, such as maintaining internal cohesion and balancing domestic budgetary constraints with defense spending?
