Greece signs $3.5bn air defence deal with Israel

Greece signs $3.5bn deal with Israel to acquire its first multi-layered air defence network by 2029.Greece has signed a $3.5bn defence deal with Israel to provide its first integrated “multi-layered” air defence network.Israel said the agreement, negotiated over three years, is one of the largest in the country’s history..Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Ukraine’s Zelenskyy plans to hit Russia with ‘1,000 drones’ a daylist 2 of 2Why is Russia threatening UK with ‘consequences’ over Ukraine drones?end of listEngineers will set up an aerial defence shield for the Greeks, integrating three Israeli systems, including the SPYDER system, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the BARAK MX system, made by Israel-aerospace-industries" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="197288" data-entity-type="organization">Israel Aerospace Industries and David’s Sling air defence technology, an Israeli defence ministry statement said on Monday.The agreement comes as Israeli weapons’ exports are soaring, despite widespread criticism over its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza and other wars in Lebanon and Iran.Israeli weapons exports reached record highs with more than $19bn last year, a 30 percent increase from 2024, according to official data.“Modern conflicts have already altered the parameters of military defence and deterrence,” Greece’s Defence Minister, Nikos Dendias, said in a statement after the agreement was signed.“Technology, ballistic missiles, satellite communications, unmanned systems, cyber threats, hybrid forms of warfare and the interconnection of fields of operations have long rendered pre-existing defence doctrines completely unrealistic,” he said.Reporting from Athens, Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos said the systems could counter a range of aerial threats.“The SPYDER and David’s Sling are short-to-medium-range air defence missile systems. They fire missiles to intercept incoming aircraft, cruise missiles and large drones. The BARAK can do all these things, but it also intercepts incoming ballistics,” he said.