Major investments in air defense systems are being made in the west, north and south of Türkiye. While Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Southern Cyprus are expanding their radar, missile and early warning capacities, Israel has become one of the important technology suppliers in the region. Among the agreements made public in recent months are projects worth billions of euros, radars with a range of hundreds of kilometers and new command centers that will connect different defense systems. One of the largest investments in the region is being implemented in Greece. The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that an air defense agreement worth approximately 3 billion euros was signed with the Athens administration on August 31, 2026. Within the scope of the project called Achilles Shield Israel-produced SPYDER, BARAK MX and David’s Sling missile defense systems will be provided to Greece. The agreement also includes ELTA-produced multi-mission radars and national command-control infrastructure.
THREE LEVELS IN THE AEGEAN ISLANDS
According to the statement made by Moshe Patel, head of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization, to the Kathimerini newspaper on September 7, the new systems in Greece will be placed according to their geographical location. SPYDER will operate on islands far from the mainland, BARAK MX will operate on islands close to the mainland, and David’s Sling will operate in large areas on the mainland and surrounding areas. The new systems will work together with radar and command infrastructures. Deliveries are expected to take place in approximately 35 months.
7 NEW RADARS FROM BULGARIA
Türkiye’s northwestern neighbor, Bulgaria, is purchasing new radars and air defense missiles to replace old Soviet-made systems. On June 10, the Bulgarian Parliament approved the 195 million euro project, which envisages the purchase of seven three-dimensional radars from the Ground Master 400 Alpha model of the French company Thales. According to the manufacturer’s data, the maximum surveillance range of the radars can reach 515 kilometers. Deliveries are targeted to be completed by 2029. The Sofia administration also approved the purchase of five new IRIS-T SLM air defense systems on October 15. The program, worth approximately 1.1 billion euros, aims to create a defense capacity against air targets at a range of up to 40 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 20 kilometers.
12 RADARS TO THE BLACK SEA
The effects of the Russia-Ukraine war on border security also accelerated Romania’s radar investments. The Romanian Ministry of Defense signed a 247 million euro agreement to purchase 12 Ground Master 200 MM/A radars from the French company Thales on July 17, 2026. The radars, which have a maximum surveillance range of approximately 350 kilometers, are intended to be used especially for the detection of low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The first radar is expected to be delivered in 2027, and the program is expected to be completed by 2030. Romania is also strengthening American Patriot systems. Approval was received from the USA in 2025 for a new purchase of approximately 262 million dollars to replace the Patriot system given to Ukraine. The Bucharest administration also signed a contract worth 3 billion 49 million Romanian lei with the Israeli company Rafael for SPYDER air defense systems on June 24.
BARAK MX IN SOUTH CYPRUS
One of the remarkable developments in the Eastern Mediterranean took place in Southern Cyprus. The Israeli-made BARAK MX air defense system was shown to the public for the first time at the military parade held in Nicosia on October 1. According to the Cypriot press, the system, which was put into inventory in 2025, was included in operational planning. In Phileleftheros’ news dated October 15, it was stated that a new battery was planned to be added, but the number of existing batteries was not disclosed. BARAK MX offers different engagement ranges of up to 15, 35, 70 and 150 kilometers depending on the missile model used.
ISRAEL IS ARMARING
The announced agreements show that the effectiveness of the Israeli defense industry in the Eastern Mediterranean is increasing. Greece’s 3 billion euro Achilles Shield, Romania’s SPYDER purchase and Southern Cyprus’ BARAK MX systems are based on the same country’s defense technologies. MMR radars developed by Israel’s ELTA company can detect different air targets and transfer information to missile defense systems.
Türkiye’S STEEL DOME
Türkiye, on the other hand, is carrying out a significant modernization in air defense with the Steel Dome project. It is aimed to integrate SİPER, HİSAR and KORKUT systems with radar, electronic warfare and command-control infrastructure. ALP 300-G, ALP 100-G and KALKAN radars developed by ASELSAN are also among the important elements of the early warning capacity.
