ATHENS – Greece is in advanced negotiations to purchase 36 PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel, a deal worth an estimated €600-700 million ($630-735 million), two officials confirmed on Friday. The move is part of Athens’ multi-billion euro effort to modernize its military.
The proposed deal, which includes domestic production of components, will be submitted to Greece’s parliamentary committee for approval in early 2025, according to the officials. The PULS system, developed by Israel’s Elbit, boasts a range of up to 300 kilometers (190 miles).
This acquisition follows ongoing discussions for Greece to purchase a €2 billion anti-aircraft and missile defence system from Israel. It is also part of a broader 10-year defense spending plan that includes acquiring up to 40 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. and four frigates from France.
Greece’s top decision-making body on defense, KYSEA, approved the PULS system procurement on Friday. A majority of the new artillery will be deployed to Greece’s northeastern border with Turkey and its Aegean islands amid longstanding tensions between the NATO allies.
Athens and Ankara have frequently clashed over maritime boundaries, energy resources, and territorial rights in the Aegean, as well as the unresolved conflict on the divided island of Cyprus.