Greece and Israel Expand Anti-Drone and Cybersecurity Defense Cooperation

Greece and Israel are deepening their defense partnership with a growing focus on two of the most pressing security challenges facing modern militaries: unmanned aerial threats and cyber warfare. As drones become cheaper, more capable, and easier for state and non-state actors to deploy, and as cyberattacks increasingly target critical infrastructure and defense systems, both countries are investing in closer coordination, shared technology, and joint training.

The expanded cooperation reflects a broader shift across Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean: defense planning is no longer limited to ships, aircraft, and missiles. It now includes electronic warfare, counter-drone detection and interception, network resilience, and rapid response to digital threats that can disrupt everything from air defenses to energy grids.

Why Anti-Drone and Cyber Defense Are Top Priorities

Drones have evolved from tactical reconnaissance tools into platforms capable of carrying explosives, conducting electronic surveillance, relaying targeting data, and swarming defenses. At the same time, cyber operations have become a routine part of geopolitical competition, used to steal sensitive information, degrade systems, and create strategic uncertainty without firing a shot.

The Growing Drone Threat Landscape

Anti-drone defense is no longer a niche capability. It is now a core requirement for protecting:

• Military bases and airfields
• Naval ports and coastal infrastructure
• Critical infrastructure such as power facilities and communications nodes
• Public events and high-profile government sites

Drones can fly low, exploit cluttered airspace, and appear in large numbers. Traditional air defenses may not be optimized for small, slow, low-signature targets, making layered counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) solutions essential.

Cybersecurity as a National Defense Issue

Cyber threats often hit with little warning, and the consequences can be strategic: interrupted logistics, compromised command-and-control systems, stolen intelligence, or manipulated data that alters decision-making. Defense cooperation on cybersecurity can include:

• Threat intelligence sharing and early-warning indicators
• Joint exercises to test incident response under pressure
• Hardening military networks and communications
• Protecting defense supply chains and contractors

For countries operating advanced systems and integrated platforms—such as air defense networks, modern fighter aircraft, and naval assets—cyber resilience is not optional. It is foundational.

What Greece and Israel Bring to the Partnership

The Greece–Israel relationship has steadily expanded across defense, energy, and regional security discussions in recent years. In the defense domain, both countries bring complementary strengths that make cooperation particularly practical.

Israel’s Edge in Counter-Drone and Cyber Capabilities

Israel is widely viewed as a leading innovator in counter-drone technologies, electronic warfare, layered air defense, and cybersecurity. Its defense industry has developed solutions across multiple detection and defeat methods, including radar, electro-optical tracking, RF detection, jamming, spoofing, and integrated command platforms that help operators assess and respond quickly.

In cybersecurity, Israel’s ecosystem—spanning government, academia, and private companies—has produced strong capabilities in:

• Network monitoring and anomaly detection
• Industrial system security for utilities and infrastructure
• Incident response playbooks and training
• Security engineering for mission-critical platforms

Greece’s Strategic Geography and Operational Needs

Greece’s position at the crossroads of Europe, the Balkans, the Aegean, and the Eastern Mediterranean creates a complex security environment. The country must protect extensive coastlines, island chains, energy and shipping routes, and national infrastructure—all while maintaining readiness for diverse contingencies.

This makes Greece a strong partner for:

• Operational testing and exercises in maritime and island environments
• Integrated air and coastal defense planning
• Building scalable counter-drone coverage across dispersed territory
• Expanding cyber readiness for defense and public-sector systems

Key Areas of Expanded Cooperation

While official details can vary depending on procurement cycles, training schedules, and security considerations, the direction of travel is clear: Greece and Israel are aligning around practical cooperation that improves deterrence and readiness.

1) Joint Training and Operational Exercises

One of the fastest ways to strengthen defense cooperation is through training. Joint drills can simulate drone incursions and cyber incidents in parallel, reflecting real-world scenarios where attacks are coordinated across domains. Exercises may focus on:

• Counter-drone detection timelines (find, track, identify)
• Rules of engagement and deconfliction in busy airspace
• Electronic warfare coordination to minimize interference with friendly systems
• Cyber incident response under operational pressure

When teams train together, they develop shared procedures and faster decision-making—two advantages that matter against small drones and fast-moving cyber threats.

2) Technology Collaboration and Procurement Pathways

Expanded cooperation often includes evaluating, integrating, and potentially acquiring systems that can be deployed quickly. In counter-drone defense, effective protection typically relies on a layered approach combining:

• Sensors (radar, electro-optics, RF detection)
• Command-and-control software to fuse data and prioritize targets
• Effectors (jamming, spoofing, kinetic options where appropriate)

On the cybersecurity side, collaboration can include stronger protections for defense communications, identity and access management, encryption, segmented networks, and tools designed to detect intrusion attempts early.

3) Intelligence Sharing and Threat Monitoring

Drones and cyberattacks are highly adaptive threats. Adversaries rapidly change tactics—switching frequencies, altering drone routes, updating malware, or using social engineering to gain access to systems. Enhanced cooperation can strengthen:

• Threat intelligence exchange on emerging drone techniques and cyber indicators
• Shared situational awareness for cross-border or maritime incidents
• Early-warning coordination when attacks target regional infrastructure

In practical terms, this can shorten response times and help defenders anticipate what is coming next, instead of reacting after damage is done.

4) Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Defense Supply Chains

Defense cooperation increasingly extends beyond uniformed services. Modern security planning also considers vulnerabilities in:

• Energy systems (power generation, grids, pipelines)
• Telecommunications and satellite-linked services
• Ports and logistics hubs
• Defense contractors and software suppliers

Cyberattacks against suppliers can become an indirect route into sensitive networks, while drones can threaten physical sites. Joint approaches to risk management, auditing, and resilience planning can reduce these exposures.

What This Means for Eastern Mediterranean Security

The Eastern Mediterranean is strategically significant due to shipping lines, energy projects, and regional security competition. Defense partnerships that improve readiness against drones and cyber threats can influence stability by increasing deterrence and reducing the likelihood that hostile operations succeed without consequences.

At the same time, escalatory risks remain. Drones offer deniable or low-cost harassment options, and cyber operations can blur attribution. That is why cooperation that emphasizes detection, attribution support, and coordinated response procedures can be as important as the technologies themselves.

Benefits for Both Countries

Expanded Greece–Israel cooperation in anti-drone and cybersecurity defense can generate clear advantages on both sides.

For Greece

• Faster modernization in counter-UAS and cyber readiness
• Improved protection for bases, islands, ports, and infrastructure
• Access to proven expertise and operational lessons learned

For Israel

• Stronger regional partnerships and operational interoperability
• Expanded testing and training environments across diverse terrain
• Greater coordination in a region where security challenges overlap

Looking Ahead: A More Integrated Defense Relationship

As drone technology becomes more accessible and cyber threats continue to grow in sophistication, partnerships like the one between Greece and Israel are likely to deepen further. The next phase may include broader interoperability standards, more frequent multi-domain exercises, and continued investment in systems that can detect and defeat drones while maintaining resilient networks.

Ultimately, the expansion of anti-drone and cybersecurity cooperation signals a shared strategic understanding: defense in the modern era is multi-domain. Protecting airspace and networks requires constant adaptation, strong alliances, and the ability to respond quickly—whether the threat arrives as a small drone over a coastline or as malicious code inside a critical system.