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Greece will begin discussing a plan to acquire next-generation submarines to replace the Hellenic Navy’s aging vessels, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday.
“We are also starting the discussion on the acquisition of new submarines, over the course of a decade, of course. Submarines are not produced quickly,” the minister said in a short speech during the inspection of the Fleet by the President of the Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, at the port of Piraeus.
He said the acquisitions will take place “within the existing fiscal space that guarantees absolute respect for the Greek taxpayer. Every euro must be spent with absolute transparency.” He didn’t provide further details of the plan.
The push to bolster Greek naval capabilities aims to maintain naval superiority in the Aegean and Mediterranean, and is part of a broader defense modernization plan responding to regional security challenges.
The country announced earlier this year it will spend 25 billion euros over the next decade to adapt its military to evolving high-tech warfare technologies. The overhaul – launched after years of defense cuts during the 2010-2018 financial crisis – will be built around a planned air defense system called “Achilles Shield,” primarily aimed at addressing tensions with neighboring Turkey. It includes all branches of the armed forces and focuses on cooperation with France, Israel and the United States.