There is an increased interest from the Greek Armed Forces for an anti-UAV system according to a recent answer from the Minister of Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos to a related question and despite some reports in the Greek press, this system does not seem to be complete at the moment based on the words of the Minister.
The following is the response of the Greek Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos:
In response to the relevant question, submitted by the Members of the Parliament in the notification, on the subject of “Direct armoring of the country’s air defense to deal with potential risks from the flights of unmanned aircraft”, I inform you of the following:
First of all, dealing with unfriendly UAVs is carried out using the means of the Unified Air Defense System. In any case, the Armed Forces monitor all UAV flying activity and increase preparedness to react to potential danger.
Specifically, the Armed Forces, within the framework of their powers, take all the necessary actions deriving from the National Plans – Orders, in order to monitor and police the national airspace, recognizing all aircraft, manned or not, that enter the ATHINAI FIR, without filing a plan flight and permission from the Greek authorities that control air traffic.
At the same time, all applicable National Rules of Engagement are faithfully applied, while all affected units are informed about the flight of the specific aircraft, with the aim of taking the necessary measures to conceal and secure classified information in a timely manner.
Furthermore, in the context of shielding the country from UAV-type aerial threats, a continuous effort is being made to modernize the available air defense means.
In this regard, the expansion of the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces is carried out based on the recorded operational requirements and any solution that serves this design is thoroughly examined and evaluated, taking into account the economic planning and the operational benefits.
In the above context, all possible options are examined to find the most suitable solution in terms of air defense capabilities and procedures, in order to deal with unfriendly UAVs.
Finally, we inform you that the Armed Forces are in the highest operational readiness and combat capacity, in order to face any threat and to secure the national and sovereign rights of the Country” concludes the response of the Minister of Defense.
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