Israel and Greece Sign Largest Ever Defense Export Agreement

Jerusalem, 18 April, 2021 (TPS) -- Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense signed an extensive NIS 5.4 billion ($1.86 b.) agreement that includes the establishment and operation of an International Flight Training Center for the Hellenic Air Force by Israel’s Elbit Systems over a period of 22 years.

Head of Israel’s Directorate for International Defense Cooperation (SIBAT) Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas signed on Friday the biggest defense agreement to date between Israel and Greece.

The International Flight Training Center for the Hellenic Air Force will be modeled after the Israel Air Force (IAF) flight academy and will be equipped with 10 M-346 training aircraft produced by the Italian Leonardo company.

Within the framework of the agreement, Elbit Systems will provide kits to upgrade and operate the Hellenic Air Force’s T-6 Lark aircraft. Elbit will also provide training, simulators and logistical support. In the future, the parties will also consider areas of cooperation between the Israeli flight academy and Hellenic Airforce Academy.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated Sunday that the cooperation agreement “rests on the excellence of Israel’s defense industry and the strong relations between the defense establishments of Greece and Israel.”

He expressed confidence that the program will “upgrade the capabilities and strengthen the economies of Israel and Greece and thus the partnership between our two countries will deepen on the defense, economic and political levels.”

SIBAT Director Yair Kulas said that “the strategic partnership between the Israel Ministry of Defense and Hellenic Ministry of National Defense is further cemented today, via the signing of the most expansive and one of the most significant defense agreements to date.”