Greece will soon produce 15,000 military drones per year, the online edition of the Greek newspaper "Katikmerini" reports, citing a statement by the Minister of Defense of Greece Nikos Dendias, BTA reported.
During a visit to a workshop for the production of military equipment yesterday, Dendias said that the country currently produces 5,000 drones per year. The unmanned aerial vehicles are currently produced in two facilities - in the Xanthi region, northeastern Greece, and in the Malakasa region, Attica. A third facility is due to open in December.
"We have reached a point where our armed forces are rapidly entering a new era," Dendias said. According to him, drones support Greece's surveillance, intelligence and action capabilities. Dendias recalled that at the end of 2023, the country had two medium-altitude drones manufactured in Israel and without the ability to be used simultaneously, as well as 252 serially produced drones.
During the opening of the specialized workshop in the Malakasa area of Attica in June, Dendias said that the production of small drones would be increased from 4,000 to 10,000 and another 600 larger drones per year.
Greece is already investing heavily in the purchase of drones manufactured abroad as part of a large-scale military investment program worth billions of euros. The program includes French frigates and fighters, American combat aircraft, as well as a comprehensive Israeli-style air defense system to protect against missiles and drones.