Mini drone procurement on the cards
The Defense Ministry’s decisions in favor of Greece’s procurement of Switchblade-type roving ammunition (loitering munitions, or tiny drones) for the Special Warfare Command will reportedly soon head to Parliament for approval.
The US Switchblade roving ammunition (types 300 and the more modern 600) will be carried by Special Warfare Command members, who are, in any case, operationally adapted to the lessons learned from the latest war conflicts – the most important being that of Ukraine. The total cost amounts to US$75 million, of which the US will cover US$50 million, with Greece bearing the remaining US$25 million.
Moreover, a package of assistance to Ukraine in the form of military equipment will also go to Parliament for approval in the near future.
The US will specifically purchase a number of rockets for multiple RM-70 type launchers from the Hellenic Armed Forces on behalf of Ukraine. Similarly, the Americans will purchase anti-tank mines from Greece’s stockpile. It is worth noting that the Hellenic Armed Forces have received significant revenues in the last two years in this manner (i.e., by selling ammunition and weapon systems to the US or Czech Republic), which nearly equals all that Greece has provided to Ukraine, either free of charge or in the form of financial aid (via the Foreign Ministry’s budget).
Meanwhile, requests for further assistance continue to arrive from Ukraine. In particular, Kyiv is requesting artillery shells of various calibers. Greece has already provided and sold several to Ukraine.
Also wanted are missiles for short-range anti-aircraft systems of the OSA-AK type.
Additionally, the Ukrainians are requesting 23 mm ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns. These are of Soviet origin from the 1960s. Greece is one of few countries still using these systems, primarily found in Eastern European countries.
