Members of a relevant parliamentary committee on Monday approved the procurement of a much-vaunted multi-layered air defense and counter-drone system worth three billion euros, a defense outlay billed as a Greek version of Israel’s well-known “Iron Dome” platform.

At the same time, a majority of committee members approved upgrades to 38 F-16 warplanes in the Greek arsenal, with the total cost estimated at around four billion euros, according to two sources later quoted by Reuters.

The defense spending draft bills must now be ratified by a majority of deputies in Greece’s 300-MP Parliament.

Earlier, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said the main focus of these programs is a “massive upgrade” of the country’s air defense through the creation of a multi-layered system for countering aerial threats. This forms the core of the so-called “Achilles’ Shield”, as program is called.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias

According to Dendias, the goal is to create a “protective dome” over Greek territory, land and sea, capable of dealing with aircraft, drones, UAVs and missiles. It is also noteworthy, as Dendias pointed out, that Greek companies will participate in the production of the systems, with a share of at least 25%.

The programs being introduced for discussion also include the creation of necessary infrastructure at the Andravida Air Base in southwest Greece for the operational integration of F-35 Lightning II aircraft, which are on ordered from the United States. As he emphasized, these aircraft “are not simply airplanes, but platforms that usher the Hellenic Air Force into a new era.”