FILE - Greek fighter jets Mirage 2000-5 Mk.II fly over the Greek capital during a military parade in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, speaks with Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, during a presentation of military spending plans, at the Greek Parliament, in Athens, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a presentation of military spending plans, at the Greek Parliament, in Athens, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a presentation of military spending plans, at the Greek Parliament, in Athens, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Greek F-16 fighter jets fly in front of the ancient Acropolis hill, during a military parade to commemorate the start of Greece's 1821 war of independence against the 400-year Ottoman rule, in Athens, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Greek F-16 fighter jets fly in front of the ancient Acropolis hill, during a military parade to commemorate the start of Greece's 1821 war of independence against the 400-year Ottoman rule, in Athens, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Greek Apache military helicopters fly in front of the ancient Acropolis hill, during a military parade to commemorate the start of Greece's 1821 war of independence against the 400-year Ottoman rule, in Athens, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece will spend 25 billion euros ($27 billion) over the next decade to adapt its military to evolving high-tech warfare technologies, officials announced Wednesday.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told parliament the overhaul will be built around a planned air defense system called “Achilles Shield,†primarily aimed at addressing tensions with neighboring .
The two NATO members have long-standing disputes over boundaries in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean that have brought them close to war several times in recent decades.
Dendias said Greece plans to shift from traditional defense systems to a high-tech, networked strategy centered on mobile, AI-powered missile systems, drone technologies, and advanced command units — reducing reliance on conventional fleets.
The plan also includes new programs such as next-generation soldier gear equipped with sensors and communication systems, and the development of dedicated satellite capabilities to ensure secure communications during conflict.
“What we are proposing is an existential issue for the country — a complete shift in our defense approach, a total change in doctrine,†Dendias said. “We’re moving away from the traditional thinking that the Aegean is defended solely by the fleet.â€
The overhaul, which will be presented to lawmakers behind closed doors in the coming weeks, also involves greater inclusion of local tech start-ups and a major personnel reorganization – merging units, closing underused bases, and addressing a top-heavy command structure.
The initiative comes as ramp up military spending in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and indications that the Trump administration wants to reduce the United States’ commitment to European defense.
Greece’s modernization drive — launched after years of defense cuts during the 2010–2018 financial crisis — already includes all branches of the armed forces and focuses on cooperation with France, Israel, and the United States. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met in Israel on Sunday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli defense officials. On Wednesday, Mitsotakis dismissed calls by some opposition parties to abandon plans to buy in favor of a European alternative, describing the program as an important “long-term investment.â€
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