Greece and Israel will sign the agreement on Monday, August 31, for the construction and delivery of the "Achilles' Shield," which consists of a combination of the Israeli Spyke and Barak, as well as land- and sea-based arrays of the “Iron Dome” and “David’s Sphendone,” which operate using laser technology.
The contract is worth 3.6 billion euros; delivery to the Greek armed forces has been scheduled in phases, and the “Shield of Achilles” will become fully operational in 35 months, according to a joint press release issued by the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Greek Ministry of National Defense. It is worth noting that Greece is contributing 25% to the project’s construction.
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Low-key
As for the public relations aspect of the signing ceremony, which will take place at the headquarters of the Israeli Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, the two countries appear to have opted for a low-key approach. According to Israeli and Greek military sources, no political figures will be present at the signing of the agreement.
The text of the agreement will be signed by officials from the two countries’ defense ministries; no public statements will be videotaped, and a press release accompanied by photographs will be issued.
Greek Military Aid to Lebanon
However, ahead of the signing of the agreement between Greece and Israel in Tel Aviv, Athens appears to be seeking to maintain a balance at the regional level. It is noteworthy that, today, the Greek Embassy in Beirut posted photos and videos on social media showing the handover of the second consecutive shipment of military equipment from the Greekto the Lebanese regular army.
Specifically, 13 Greek main battle tanks and 10 general-purpose military vehicles were delivered today, accompanied by a significant quantity of spare parts. This Greek military aid, intended to enhance the effectiveness of the Lebanese regular army, is provided under an intergovernmental agreement, aimed at advancing the program for the stability of Joseph Aoun’s government and the restoration of control throughout the country’s territory by the Lebanese Regular Army, which has been undergoing a period of institutional and military reconstruction in recent months.
Watch Gabriel Charitou’s report on tonight’s main news broadcast on ALPHA Cyprus with Nikos Symeou:
