Greece has signed a deal with France to purchase 16 Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles to bolster its defense capabilities.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu inked the agreement during an official visit to Athens.
The amount of the deal has not been disclosed.
Features
The Exocet MM40 anti-ship missile has a maximum range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), weighs 780 kilograms (1,720 pounds), and is under 6 meters (19.7 feet) in length.
The missile employs an advanced electromagnetic homing system for precise target tracking, while its guidance unit optimizes flight trajectories and enables coordination with multiple missiles.
Designed for stealth, it features low visual, radar, and infrared signatures, allowing it to fly at low altitudes over the sea.
The system uses inertial navigation with an active electromagnetic seeker for terminal guidance and can be launched beyond line of sight, following complex flight paths.
Its seeker can effectively identify targets and resist modern countermeasures, with GPS functionality enabling engagement of coastal land targets.
Boosting Defense
Athens is significantly increasing its defense spending as part of a long-term modernization strategy.
Greece is one of the NATO members allocating over 3 percent of its GDP to defense, alongside Poland, Estonia, and Latvia.
Moreover, the Mediterranean nation plans to invest around 26 billion euros ($28 billion) in new weapons systems by 2036.
This year alone, the country has doubled its military budget to 6.13 billion euros ($6.6 billion) for the procurement of various equipment.
In January, the Hellenic Air Force received its 30th upgraded F-16 Viper from US defense contractor Lockheed Martin to boost operational performance.
Earlier the same month, France’s Dassault Aviation completed delivery of the 24th and final Rafale fighter jet for Greece.
