Greece integrates Centauros anti-drone system with Israel’s Barak MX

Greece’s Centauros electronic anti-drone system has been fully integrated with Israel’s Barak MX air defence platform, marking the first large-scale collaboration between the Greek and Israeli defence industries.

The joint system combines electronic detection, assessment, and neutralisation of threats, offering a cost-effective solution to the growing challenge posed by inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Traditional interceptor missiles, such as the Barak MX, cost approximately $550,000 per unit, making them economically inefficient when used against low-cost drones, Caliber.Az reports via Greek media.

Boaz Levy, president and CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, which manufactures the Barak MX, highlighted the strategic significance of the collaboration. “Together with our close allies and partners in Greece, and through substantial cooperation with the domestic defense industry, we strengthen operational resilience and contribute to meeting growing defense needs at the European level,” Levy said.

Field tests, observed by representatives of the Israeli Defense Forces, demonstrated the systems operating as a fully unified package. The Centauros system proved its operational effectiveness in the Red Sea, recording at least three confirmed neutralisations of Houthi rebel drones.

Greece and Cyprus have both adopted the Centauros system and submitted related proposals under the European SAFE regulation. Cyprus already operates the Barak MX, while Greece is slated as a future user.

Defence analysts note that the integration represents a milestone for Greece’s domestic defence ecosystem, potentially opening avenues for Greek-made weapons systems to gain international endorsement and commercial opportunities. Both systems operate under a unified command-and-control environment, allowing operators to select between electronic jamming or kinetic interception depending on the threat scenario.

By Vugar Khalilov