Israel and Greece Sign NIS 10 Billion Air Defense Deal, Dubbed Achilles Shield

Israel and Greece have signed the country’s largest defense export deal to date, a project worth more than NIS 10 billion, or $3.48 billion.

Known in Greece as “Achilles Shield,” the agreement will create a multilayered defense system. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will supply David’s Sling systems to intercept heavy rockets and ballistic missiles, as well as mobile SPYDER systems designed to counter unmanned aircraft and drones. Israel Aerospace Industries will provide the Barak MX system for defense against aircraft and missiles.

The deal, negotiated over three years, also includes a national command-and-control center. The center will operate the systems, manage launches and use artificial intelligence capabilities, similar to the system used in Israel. SPYDER batteries will be deployed on Greek islands, including destinations popular with Israeli tourists.

Greek companies are expected to receive about €700 million of the total value as subcontractors for Rafael and IAI. A supplementary agreement worth €26 million will cover Israel’s sale of drone dome systems to Greece.

The deal surpasses Israel’s previous biggest defense export, IAI’s first sale of the Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany. That agreement, signed in 2023, was worth $3.5 billion.