Israel and Greece on Monday signed a massive €3 billion ($3.5 billion) deal, under which Israel will build Greece a multi-tiered air defense array, as the countries continue to shore up their defense cooperation.

The “Achilles Shield” agreement will see Israel export several systems, including David’s Sling and SPYDER, manufactured by Rafael, and BARAK MX, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.

The ministry said it is the “largest defense export deal in the history of Israel-Greece relations, and one of the largest in the history of the State of Israel.”

It also marked the first time that Israel will supply another country with a “complete defense array against a wide range of threats,” including ballistic missiles and drones.

Multiple other countries, including the United States and Ukraine, have expressed a desire to emulate Israel’s missile defense systems, including Iron Dome, following their frequent use in the country’s multifront war.

With strong economic and diplomatic ties, Greece and Israel operate an air training center on Greek territory, hold annual joint military drills and cooperate on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity. Last year, Athens bought 36 Israeli-made rocket artillery systems for about $739 million.

The deal also comes amid growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over Ankara’s push to expand its influence in Syria. Turkey is Greece’s traditional foe and the weapons systems would largely be expected to help Athens defend against its neighbor.

The deal was signed on Monday at the ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv by Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram and his Greek counterpart, Ioannis Bouras.

“Under the deal, Israel will build Greece a comprehensive, multi-layered air defense array, drawing entirely on........

© The Times of Israel