Israel's defence giants eye Greece as key market amid growing regional security tensions

Breaking Defense describes in a fresh article that in a powerful display of growing military collaboration, Israel and Greece have marked a new chapter in their defence partnership. As both nations bolster their defence capabilities, the spotlight is now on Greece, with Israeli firms eyeing the country as a key market for the future. 

At the recent DEFEA defence exhibition in Athens, Israeli defence giants showcased cutting-edge technology, highlighting a strategic alliance fueled by shared concerns over regional security. 

“The impressive Israeli participation highlights the country’s position as one of the global leaders in defence technology and underscores the partnership between Israel and Greece,” said Israel’s Ministry of Defence in a statement.

A key factor driving these closer ties, according to Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, is the strategic concern over Türkiye. "Greece is both a buyer of Israeli defence products and a security partner of Israel," Lindenstrauss explained. "The Turkish threat seems to solidify the shared interests between Israel and Greece in the security realm for many years forward."

These strengthened relations have come as Israel's ties with Türkiye have soured in recent years. Lahav Harkov, senior research fellow at the Misgav Institute, emphasised that the collaboration between Greece and Israel goes beyond "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." He noted, “The countries have done military exercises together and share intelligence.”

Dan Mariaschin, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, added that despite tensions over Gaza, Israel's relations with Greece and Cyprus have remained strong. He pointed to the 2021 tripartite military cooperation agreement and ongoing discussions about a natural gas pipeline linking Israel to Europe.

A major development for Israeli defence firms is Greece’s recent announcement to invest $27 billion in defence over the next decade, with a focus on advanced air defence systems. This presents a significant opportunity for Israeli companies, particularly with reports that Greece is interested in developing a multi-billion-dollar integrated air defence system inspired by Israel’s success in the field.

At DEFEA, the growing defence partnership was evident. On May 7, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) to supply Greece with IAI's BlueWhale autonomous submarine system. Boaz Levy, IAI’s CEO, called the agreement a “strategic milestone” in the mutual defence cooperation.

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Elbit Systems also showcased their latest innovations, including upgraded armoured personnel carriers and advanced drones, further reinforcing the strengthening ties between Israel and Greece in the defense sector.

By Naila Huseynova