Jerusalem, 31 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel and Greece signed a NIS 10 billion ($3.3 billion) defense agreement on Monday under which Israel will establish a comprehensive, multi-layered air defense system for Greece, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced. The agreement is Israel’s largest defense export deal ever.
“Israel and Greece share common strategic interests and face common regional challenges,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said. “Precisely at a time when elements with hegemonic ambitions seek to expand their influence and destabilize the region, Israel and Greece will continue to deepen their security and strategic cooperation.”
The “Achilles Shield” system will combine several Israeli-made defense technologies, including Rafael’s David’s Sling and SPYDER systems, Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) BARAK MX air defense system and multi-mission radars produced by IAI’s ELTA division.
The project will also include a new national command-and-control system led by Rafael to coordinate the various layers of Greece’s air defense.
According to the Defense Ministry, the system is designed to protect against a broad range of threats, including ballistic missiles, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
A separate agreement worth €26 million ($30 million; NIS 92 million) was also signed for Rafael’s DRONE DOME systems to protect strategic sites from drones and reinforce Greece’s existing defenses.
The agreements will also expand industrial cooperation between Israel and Greece, including the transfer of knowledge and technology to Greek industry.
The “Achilles Shield” agreement was signed at a ceremony at the Defense Ministry’s headquarters in Tel Aviv by Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram and his Greek counterpart, Ioannis Bouras, head of Greece’s defense procurement directorate.
“The ‘Achilles Shield’ deal is a strategic milestone in Israel-Greece security relations and expresses the deep trust that our partners around the world have in Israel’s technological superiority and the proven operational experience of our defense systems,” Baram said.