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Greece in talks with Israel over $3.5 billion arms deal

Athens is eyeing the Jewish state’s modern anti-aircraft and artillery missile systems.

Elbit Systems' PULS (Precise and Universal Launching Systems) rocket-launching platform. Source: @ElbitSystemsLtd/X.
Elbit Systems’ PULS (Precise and Universal Launching Systems) rocket-launching platform. Source: @ElbitSystemsLtd/X.

Greece is looking to purchase anti-aircraft and artillery systems from Israel worth around $3.5 billion as part of its modernization of its armed forces, Reuters reported on Friday.

The two countries are engaged in talks over a multi-layered anti-aircraft and anti-drone system, a large-scale initiative launched by Greece in April 2025 and dubbed “Achilles Shield,” the report read.

“We want to buy 36 PULS artillery systems and anti-aircraft systems for ‘Achilles Shield.’ The negotiations with Israel will intensify next month,” a Greek official told the news agency.

PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) is a multiple rocket launcher developed by Haifa-based military technology company Elbit Systems, which can fire a variety of ammunition types to various ranges from the same position, to ranges of up to 185 miles, according to Elbit’s website.

The cost of 36 PULS rocket artillery systems, the official continued, is estimated at $755 million, and would be used to protect Greece’s border with Turkey.

Athens has pledged to spend around $33 billion by 2036 to keep pace with Ankara, Reuters reported.

Greece also plans to buy stealth fighter jets, frigates and submarines from the U.S. and Europe, the report added.

A second Greek official was confirmed as saying that negotiations with Israel are underway. Athens was interested in procuring advanced weaponry from Israel in 2024, but the war in Gaza delayed the discussions, the second official noted.

The first official added that Greek companies would fund about 25% of the security modernization plan.

The Balkan nation operates U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems, but wants to replace its older Russian-made OSA, TOR-M1 and S-300, according to the report.

In September, a survey conducted reported that while a vocal minority on the Greek left has tried to amplify pro-Palestinian positions, sometimes with media backing, most Greeks side with the center-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which has championed closer ties with Israel in defense and diplomacy.

The online survey, conducted by the Greek news site News Break, examined public support for maintaining the strategic partnership.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents said that they agree with continuing the strategic partnership, calling Israel a natural ally of Greece. Twenty-one percent opposed the partnership, citing Israel’s alleged violations of international law in Gaza. Another 2% said they had no opinion. A total of 5,616 people participated.

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