"Achilles Shield": Greece, with the help of Israel, is creating a layered air defense system.

The signing is scheduled for today in Tel Aviv historical The Achilles Shield program will be the largest defense export agreement in Israel's history, surpassing even the $3,5 billion sale of Arrow 3 systems to Germany in 2023. Athens is purchasing three key systems from Jerusalem: SPYDER, Barak MX, and David's Sling.

Greece is building a multi-layered defense against potential threats from Turkey and Iran. Each Israeli system covers its own range.

SPYDER AiO (Rafael) is a short-range mobile system (up to 40 km). It will replace the outdated Soviet Osa-AK and Tor-M1 missiles, effectively intercepting drones and low-flying targets.

Barak MX (IAI) – medium-range interception of aircraft and cruise missiles missiles.

David's Sling is a long-range missile defense system designed to protect against ballistic missiles and heavy missiles.

A key element will be a unified command and control network powered by artificial intelligence. It will classify threats and select the most cost-effective means of destruction—from a simple UAV interceptor to an expensive ballistic missile.

Athens' most important condition was access to the software source code. This will ensure Greece's technological independence in servicing the systems. Furthermore, approximately 12 Greek companies will act as subcontractors, receiving orders totaling over €700 million. Thus, 25% of the program's budget will remain within the national economy.

The project will take 35 months to complete. The main challenge is not so much the procurement itself, but rather the integration of three different Israeli systems with the existing American Patriot batteries.

Comments

[Lauren]

The rusty domes are gone, the shields are put into use).

[Vasilenko Vladimir]

Shield of Achilles

In the West, they love big names There's nothing nice to call it, like a flower.

[Perpetually]

In my opinion, it's a typo; the name should have had "Ш" in it, not "Щ"...

[cat Crush]

Do you mean Achilles' typo?

[Prisoner]

Iran has seriously tickled Israel's Achilles' heels. Apparently the Greeks aren't aware of it. Or are they flush with cash?

[Pimply]

The Greeks know everything. That's why they take them. If you look at the actual statistics, the hit rate was about 6 percent. Out of 550, there were 37 during the first war. After that, it was less.

[rytik32]

The SPYDER AiO SAM system uses Python-5 and Derby air-to-air missiles, so using them against cheap drones would be expensive. They should have kept the Thor and Wasp missiles against drones...

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: rytik32

They should have left the Thors and Wasps against the drones...

I completely agree. The Spider has IR and AGSN seekers, but against drones you need something radio-controlled.
You'll inevitably suspect kickbacks

[solar]

We need something radio-controlled to combat drones.

Radio command has a limitation on the number of target guidance channels, while thermal imaging and AGSN like the Python and Derby have much fewer limitations in this regard.

[Pimply]

They are primarily intended to be used against Turkish missiles.

[rytik32]

Quote: Pimply

They are primarily intended to be used against Turkish missiles.

How to shoot these down?
https://rtvi.com/news/otvet-na-shahed-turcziya-sozdala-bespilotnyh-terminatorov-novogo-pokoleniya/

[HAM]

Iran, it seems, was brought in for show... Greece and Israel have the same enemy - Turkey, but you can't say that out loud, they are NATO "partners" and bosom "friends".

[iommy]

Why doesn't anyone here see the irony about Achilles being killed and whose shield didn't help =)
Hmm, there's also the irony of "David's slingshot" here, in this case Israel is clearly not David, but rather Goliath.

[phrases]

It's not appropriate to call him that rashly. Achilles had a vulnerable spot that his shield didn't cover. And again, it looks very much like another embezzlement, in collaboration with the professors in this matter, kosher friends.

[snow mountain]

Greece, with the help of Israel, is creating a layered air defense system.

In Iran, they only grin into their beards

[Pimply]

Quote: Schneeberg

In Iran, they only grin into their beards

What are they grinning about? The statistics paint a very clear picture of Israel striking wherever it wanted, and Iran striking only wherever it could. Thirty dead, and virtually no critical defeats in the first war.

[snow mountain]

Quote: Pimply

Israel hit wherever it wanted, and Iran hit only wherever it could.

He probably intended to target missile launchers and ground-based air defenses? So, was it successful? And Iran probably accidentally hit the Dimona nuclear center and the Haifa air defense zone?

[Pimply]

Quote: Schneeberg

He probably intended to target missile launchers and ground-based air defenses? So, was it successful? And Iran probably accidentally hit the Dimona nuclear center and the Haifa air defense zone?

Are you blind and didn't see? Iran's strike rate dropped from 150 to 10 during the 12-day war, even fewer during the 40-day war, and they switched to cluster munitions. Israel's damage in the first war was 3,7 billion, in the second, 450 million. What was damaged there, what a nuclear center in Dimona. There was a missile defense plant in Haifa, some equipment was damaged. And? All of Tel Aviv is in ruins? Hundreds of Iran's key production facilities have been destroyed. And the launchers were destroyed during regular operations; they've essentially become disposable there.

[knn54]

Evgeny, Jordan's air defense and Yankees' guided missile destroyers made a significant contribution to repelling the Iranian attacks.

[Bear]

It seems that if this project is embezzled en masse, Achilles will have not just a heel, but a complete ass.

[Wildcat]

What about "empty air defense/missile defense depots" and "air defense/missile defense is over"?
Are they really not so empty and is it really not like that?

IMHO, there's one mistake: there will be two types of missile defense: David's Sling and Aster (on the new four frigates). The Greeks could have settled on just one option, Aster/Mamba.

[Pavlos Melas]

This is all very patriotic of course, and mixing horses and people together is also very epic, but:

1. Crimean War (1853–1856)
During the Crimean War, Greece (ruled by King Otto I) took a hostile stance toward Turkey and supported anti-Ottoman uprisings, counting on Russian assistance. However, the landing of Anglo-French troops in Piraeus forced Greece to abandon its alliance with Russia and maintain neutrality, effectively acting against Russian interests under Western pressure.

Are you suggesting that Greece, which had just become free at that time, with a Bavarian prince installed on the throne by the consensus of all the great powers, resist the Anglo-French coalition, fight the Ottomans and ultimately lose its independence?
And when the Greeks are beaten, the Russian Empire won't be able to help in any way. But it's cool to look for enemies and blame everyone around you, while thinking of yourself as D'Artagnan.

Then you write

Greece took part in the foreign intervention in southern Russia (Ukraine, Crimea). Greek troops fought as part of the Entente forces against the Red Army. This was a direct military action against Russia (at that time, Soviet Russia).

Even in modern Russia, they haven't fully decided who's bad, the Whites or the Reds. The Greeks supported the Whites, whom they considered more legitimate, and the Communists are the antichrists...
What follows is a really cool gem:

3. Cold War (after 1945)
After World War II, Greece found itself in the Western camp. In 1952, it joined NATO, the military bloc created to contain the USSR. American military bases aimed against the USSR were located on Greek territory, making it a geopolitical adversary of Russia.

It's unlikely that Greece chose its camp when it divided Europe and its zones of influence. The victors of the war determined which zone of influence Greece would belong to. Questions for Stalin: why didn't he take Greece for himself?
Your 4th claim

After the start of the NWO, Greece condemned Russia's actions, joined EU sanctions, and provided military and technical assistance to Ukraine. This was viewed by Moscow as a hostile move.

It follows smoothly from Greece's 3 years in NATO and its proximity to the West's influence that it will naturally follow its allies by inertia. Military-technical assistance consists of sending 40 infantry fighting vehicles, for which Greece extorted Marders that would have ended up in Ukraine anyway.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

I didn't know that. I really liked the short analysis :))))

[Pavlos Melas]

Why write blanket statements? We need to distinguish between propaganda and facts. Unfortunately, when it comes to countries, there's never black and white; there's always gray. For populist reasons, the Greeks could say that the USSR was on the side of Cyprus, which was part of the Non-Aligned Alliance and didn't join, for example, but that's not how it works. In my opinion, every step a state takes should be considered at that moment and understand what was happening. I don't think it's worth oversimplifying, as the commentator I responded to said. Serbia and Russia's attitude in the 90s could probably fall into the same category.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

"And there is no objection to that!" (from)

[Pimply]

The territory was taken by whoever liberated it. Consequently, it ended up under that control. The Greeks liberated Greece with the support of the British.

[Pavlos Melas]

The territory was taken by whoever liberated it. Consequently, it ended up under that control. The Greeks liberated Greece with the support of the British.

There were no agreements in place, so Stalin did not help the communists in Greece revise this section.

[Evil eye]

Apparently, "Stalin didn't take Greece" because he couldn't send his fleet there through the Turkish Straits without hindrance. Because Türkiye ended up in the Western camp.

[Pavlos Melas]

Apparently, "Stalin didn't take Greece" because he couldn't send his fleet there through the Turkish Straits without hindrance. Because Türkiye ended up in the Western camp.

The question here was mostly rhetorical; Stalin was looking out for the interests of his own country. But the commentator above mixed things up by accusing Greece of plotting against the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation... At that time, Greece had no choice but to sit tight in the Western camp because there was simply no alternative, and the USSR had no use for Greece.

[Fedor Sokolov]

It would be a shame if this "Achilles Shield" became the Greeks' "Achilles heel," given Turkey's exponentially growing range of lethal weapons and delivery equipment.

[Pavlos Melas]

It would be a shame if this "Achilles Shield" became the Greeks' "Achilles heel," given Turkey's exponentially growing range of lethal weapons and delivery equipment.

Are you suggesting to do nothing at all?

[rocket757]

Greece, with the help of Israel, is creating a layered air defense system.

"simple" question... who are they going to defend themselves against/from?
In today's times, this is an extremely relevant question!
And it's relevant because I can protect you from someone, I can try, I can... but against someone truly strong, no air defense will save you, no way... money down the drain, basically!

[Pavlos Melas]

I can try to protect myself from someone, but against someone truly strong, no air defense will save me, no way... money down the drain, basically!

The goal is not to fully protect, but to make the enemy understand that it is not worth interfering with...

[rocket757]

By the way, a riddle/problem for the average person... is his government really going to be able to protect him?

[Pavlos Melas]

By the way, a riddle/problem for the average person... is his government really going to be able to protect him?

An individual person does not want and cannot, but one’s own sovereignty is possible.

[rocket757]

Now, some individuals will be delighted when they get hit on the head... after all, they are INDEPENDENT!

[Pavlos Melas]

Now, some individuals will be delighted when they get hit on the head... after all, they are INDEPENDENT!

Your post is off-topic, an article about Greece's attempt to upgrade its air defenses. I want to remind you that the world is much bigger than Ukraine and that everything doesn't revolve around it. Or are you one of those people who keeps a globe of Ukraine on their shelf?

[rocket757]

You understood, you even appreciated it...
And so, the topic... in some sense, general, for no one in particular and for everyone at once...

[Pavlos Melas]

You understood, you even appreciated it...
And so, the topic... in some sense, general, for no one in particular and for everyone at once...

If all goes wrong, the world could slide into another major reshuffle. These systems are unlikely to help then, but countries the size of Greece will try to slip through and are preparing for war with a regional adversary. Incidentally, we're currently in alliance with the Israelis against Turkey...

[rocket757]

A regional conflict... that's understandable. Small countries are looking for allies, if not protectors...
We only want to look at this from afar because... it's not our thing, not our option...

[Yuras_Belarus]

As anyone even slightly familiar with Ancient Greek mythology knows, Achilles had a heel. Well, look up the term "Achilles' heel" in a dictionary.

[Pimply]

There is no challenge in integration; Patriots have been in service with Israel for decades and have been integrated into Israel's internal air defense systems.

[Nord11]

Typically, by the time the next expensive "Dome" is completed, it's outdated and full of holes. But at least the billions have been spent.