NATO allies have agreed to provide Kyiv with additional air defense systems, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said after a special meeting of allied defense ministers with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
DEFENSE
Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s defense and diplomatic editor, joins Thanos Davelis to explore Defense Minister Nikos Dendias’ plan for a defense system for Greece similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, discuss the view from Athens following Iran’s attack on Israel, and look at the key takeaways from the EU summit on Cyprus.
The reference on Wednesday by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias to the need for a protective anti-aircraft system brought back to the fore a debate which has being continuing at the level of the country’s military leadership over the last few years – long before the demonstration of Israel’s capabilities against enemy missiles and rockets.
Greece has plans to develop an air defense system akin to Israel’s sophisticated Iron Dome, aimed at safeguarding the country against airborne threats, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told Skai TV Wednesday.
The Greek government issued a stern condemnation of Iran’s recent attacks on Israel, labeling them as a significant escalation in an already precarious regional situation, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
With the war in Ukraine at a critical juncture, Kyiv is seeking to meet its ever-increasing needs for ammunition and weapons systems, mainly through bilateral agreements and requests.
Seeking new ways to bolster European defensive cooperation, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for the creation of a European Security Fund in statements after meeting with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk in Warsaw.
The letter of acceptance (LOA) regarding Greece’s request for the supply of F-35 fighter jets has been in the General Directorate of Defense Equipment and Investments since Wednesday morning.
The commander of a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea wants to significantly increase its size to better defend against possible attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen, as just four warships are patrolling an area twice the size of the 27-nation bloc.
Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the Greek operation commander of the European naval mission Aspides, designed to protect ships sailing through the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, said on Monday that “we are also preparing for any deterioration of the situation in the region.”
Defense officials are worried about Turkish shipyards’ growing capacity to turn out fighting vessels as well as the rising costs of keeping up with Greece’s nominally allied neighbor.
This year’s edition of the multinational air force exercise Iniochos will kick off on Monday. The drill, which will run until April 18, is organized every year at Andravida Air Base in Western Greece by the Hellenic Air Force, and will be conducted in the greater area of the Athens Flight Information Region.
The government has signed a letter of offer and acceptance formalizing its intention to procure 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, through an intergovernmental agreement with the US.
The visit next week of General Dimitris Houpis, chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, to India will be another step in strengthening bilateral relations between Athens and New Delhi.
NATO foreign ministers have celebrated the alliance’s 75th anniversary to warnings that Moscow was as great a threat as ever and concern over stalled US aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Greece has approved the purchase of 35 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters from U.S defence contractor Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), opens new tab in an effort to modernize its armed forces, two people with knowledge of the deal told Reuters.
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