Greece and Israel cosy up over Rafael’s Spyder air defence system

Greece’s defence ministry has reportedly begun discussions with Israeli arms manufacturer Rafale to finalise a deal concerning Spyder air defence systems.

Air defence systems have taken a share of the spotlight in recent years, underscored by Iran’s extensive missile and drone assault, serving as the most recent testament to their crucial role.

Greece would be joining the Czech Republic, Morocco and the Philippines, all of which recently ordered or received the Spyder. India and Singapore have also been operating the Israeli kit for more than a decade.

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Rafael offers the Spyder mobile air defence systems in three configurations: short/extended, medium and long range. It can be used to defend against attack aircraft, helicopters, bombers, cruise missiles, UAVs and stand-off weapons, according to Rafael. The system intercepts threats using two families of Rafael-made missiles, the Python and the Derby.

A new configuration for the Spyder has been unveiled recently, dubbed the “All in One”. This setup integrates radar, an electro-optical launcher, an advanced C2 system and the same interceptor missiles onto a single platform. According to Rafael, this configuration offers an ideal air defence solution for point and area defence, whether deployed as part of a Spyder battery or independently.

While specific details of the potential Greek–Israeli deal remain undisclosed, the announcement of discussions served as continued evidence that Israel’s involvement in the conflict in Gaza has had limited deterrent effects on other nations conducting business with it, as highlighted by a recent Shephard report on requests from for Israeli military equipment from the Philippines.

The Hellenic Armed Forces possess nine US-made Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems too, which come at a notably higher cost compared to the Rafael-made air defence equipment. Using both SAM systems would enable Athens to effectively neutralise smaller, less sophisticated threats, while managing expenses more effectively.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Aegean, Greece’s long-standing rival and NATO partner Turkey has been working on its domestic Siper SAM missile system. With a range of 150km, it nearly doubles the Spyder’s furthest reach of up to 80km.

Turkey’s primary motive for domestic weapon development was to reduce dependence on foreign governments. Once the Siper system has been fully developed and demonstrated effective, however, it could also serve as a viable option in the global market.

Nations facing constraints in purchasing US or European platforms due to costs, avoiding Israeli options for political reasons, encountering sanctions or quality concerns with Russian alternatives, and hesitating on Chinese offerings for similar reasons could turn to Ankara for their air defence needs.

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