In just a few minutes, a new anti-drone Greek system showed what it was capable of.

Centauros, a system developed by the European Union, was tested in the Red Sea last year. It detected and quickly destroyed two aerial drones fired by Yemeni Houthis who were attacking merchant ships in this busy shipping lane.

Kyriakos. Enotiadis is the electronics director of Hellenic Aerospace Industry, which manufactures the anti-drone systems.

The test was a success, and the Greek government is now planning to create a domestic industry that will mass-produce anti-drone systems. This is part of a 30 billion-euro program aimed at modernising Greece's military by 2036.

Centauros, named after the mythical half-man/half-horse creature can detect drones at a distance up to 150 km (93 mi) and can fire up to 25 km (15,5 miles). Greece intends to install the system throughout its fleet.

Enotiadis told dozens of workers nearby that the anti-aircraft missiles were being assembled with electronic components.

Greece used only a handful of unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, which were mostly made in France and Israel.

The multi-billion euro defence programme will include Greek-made antidrone and combat-drone systems in the armed forces. It also includes its planned antiaircraft ballistic domed, named Achilles Shield

HISTORIC RIVALRY

Greece's NATO-ally, historic rival and neighbour Turkey is a prolific exporter of drones.

A long-standing dispute between Greece and Turkey has led to a defence budget of nearly 3,5% of the country's gross domestic product. The domestic defence industry accounts for only a small fraction of this.

Pantelis Tzortzakis is the CEO of the newly established Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation, which is overseen by the Defence Ministry.

Tzortzakis stated that "our target is to export the same amount of money we spend annually on defense."

Altus, a Greek private company that produces combat drones in collaboration with France's MBDA has developed Kerveros – a vertical-take-off-and-landing UAV that can carry a payload greater than 30 kg.

Zacharias Sarris is co-owner and co-owner at Altus. Altus has already exported ISR drones in five countries.

He added that Greece has a need for the technology, given its complex geopolitical situation.

HAI has high goals in the interim.

It will begin mass producing two portable anti-drone system called Iperion in 2026. These systems are designed to protect troops against drone swarms, lethal mini drones, and drone swarms.

Archytas is the name of the unmanned aircraft that will be presented, which was named after an ancient Greek inventor who, according to legend, invented the first autonomous flying machines in 400 BC.

Nikos Koklas is the director of new product development at the company. He said, "We want this UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to be the best in its class." $1 = 0.8643 Euros (Reporting and editing by Helen Popper)

(source: Reuters)