Thales and MBDA, two of France’s leading defense manufacturers, are working through their joint venture EUROSAM to persuade Greece to adopt the SAMP/T air defense missile system. This effort comes as Greece seeks to establish an advanced protective shield similar to Israel’s Iron Dome amid ongoing tensions with Turkey. However, the competition with Israel’s defense offerings, particularly the SPYDER system, is shaping up to be fierce.
EUROSAM is a European defense consortium established in 1989 as a collaboration between Thales and MBDA (a joint venture of Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo). Specializing in air and missile defense systems, Eurosam is known for developing the SAMP/T (Surface-to-Air Missile Platform/Terrain) system, which utilizes the Aster missile family to counter a wide spectrum of threats, including aircraft, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Headquartered in France, Eurosam plays a crucial role in enhancing NATO’s integrated air defense capabilities and has supplied systems to several European nations. The consortium exemplifies European defense cooperation, offering state-of-the-art technology designed to address modern security challenges.
At the same time, Israel is aggressively promoting its SPYDER air defense system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. SPYDER specializes in rapid-reaction, low to medium-altitude defense and is particularly effective against drones and short-range missile threats. Greece is reportedly in talks with Israel for a €2 billion defense architecture inspired by the Iron Dome, which could further enhance the country’s air defense layers.
Currently, Greece operates a diverse range of air defense systems that reflect its strategic priorities and historical procurement practices. Among these are the U.S.-made Patriot missile systems, which provide medium to long-range protection, and the Russian-made S-300 systems, which are also capable of engaging long-range targets. Greece relies on the French Crotale NG systems for shorter ranges and the Russian SA-15 Tor-M1 and SA-8 Osa-AK systems, designed to counter low-altitude threats such as cruise missiles and aircraft. This eclectic mix of systems underscores Greece’s efforts to maintain a layered air defense network that addresses multiple threat vectors.