A parliamentary committee has given the green light for the procurement of three C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft from Brazil’s Embraer, as well as a range of unmanned systems from the U.S. and Israel, according to sources cited by Reuters.
According to Reuters, the total cost of the defense package is estimated at between 1 billion and 1.2 billion euros, with roughly half of that amount covering the purchase and support of the new aircraft.
What the package includes
In addition to the three C-390s, the program includes the procurement of a Heron drone system from Israel, 10 U.S.-made V-BAT drones, as well as 10 British-made VICTA mini-submarines for special operations missions.
The same package also provides for the modernization of four German-built MEKO-200 frigates of the Hellenic Navy.
As part of the 12-year defense procurement plan
Greece, which continues to rely on older C-130 and C-27 transport aircraft, has implemented a multi-year program to upgrade its Armed Forces.
The government plans to allocate approximately €28 billion by 2036 to modernize the country’s military capabilities, following its emergence from a decade-long fiscal crisis and amid the ongoing need to maintain the regional defense balance.
The new procurements must also receive final approval from the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA), with approval considered a foregone conclusion.