Greece to Produce 15,000 Military Drones Annually, Dendias Says
Greece plans to boost domestic drone production to 15,000 units annually by year's end through a new facility, up from the current 5,000 units made at two existing plants.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias disclosed the upgraded production targets during a Thursday visit to a military manufacturing plant located near Xanthi in northern Greece, according to Kathimerini (EN). The facility, operating alongside a second site near Athens, currently manufactures approximately 5,000 drones annually.
The sharp increase in output will be achieved through the opening of a third production facility in Malakasa, situated north of Athens, scheduled to become operational in December. Once fully operational, the three-facility network will deliver 15,000 drones per year to Greece’s armed forces.
Transformation of Greek Military Capabilities
Dendias emphasized the strategic significance of the expanded drone program for Greece’s defense posture, noting that the technology provides observation, reconnaissance, and offensive capabilities essential for modern warfare.
The defense minister drew a stark contrast between Greece’s current and past drone capabilities. At the end of 2023, the Greek military possessed only two Israeli-manufactured Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance drones that could not be deployed simultaneously, along with 252 industrial devices that Dendias characterized as comparable to budget toy-store products, referencing the Jumbo retail chain.
The production forecast represents an upward revision from earlier projections. During a foundation-laying ceremony in June for the Malakasa facility, Dendias had indicated the new unit would increase small military drone production from 4,000 to approximately 10,000 annually, with an additional 600 larger drones manufactured each year.
Part of Broader Defense Modernization
The domestic drone production expansion forms one component of Greece’s comprehensive multi-billion euro military modernization program. Athens has committed substantial resources to acquiring advanced foreign defense systems, including French frigates and fighter aircraft, American warplanes, and an Israeli-model integrated air defense system designed to counter missile and drone threats.
The investment drive reflects Greece’s determination to maintain military readiness amid ongoing regional security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.
With information from Kathimerini (EN)
