DEFEA Conference 2026: The Greek defense ecosystem active in European programs

The imaginable of a European Defence Union dominated this year’s DEFEA Conference, held in Athens, with the information of the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, arsenic well arsenic galore representatives from the governmental and subject enactment of Europe and Greece, and manufacture stakeholders.

As emphasized by assemblage representatives, Kubilius’ connection to found a European Defence Union done a caller intergovernmental treaty constitutes an inaugural aimed astatine overcoming fragmentation and moving toward a much cohesive and functional defence framework. According to the President of the Hellenic Manufacturers of Defence Materiel Association (SEKPY), Anastasios Rozolis, “this is peculiarly important for the industry, arsenic it creates prospects for broader cooperation, associated planning, and greater alignment of investments.” He added that “it provides an accidental to nexus European ambitions with our nationalist choices.”

Greek companies and European programs

According to SEKPY information connected the information of Greek defence companies successful European programs, Greek entities are progressive successful 35 retired of the 57 approved actions of the program. Maintaining 5th spot astatine the European level, information successful 35 projects, and engagement successful coordination roles bespeak a mature reality—no longer incidental, but structural.

“This is impervious that the Greek defence manufacture and the broader probe and technology ecosystem person developed a European presence, know-how, outward orientation, and the capableness to enactment not lone arsenic partners but besides arsenic coordinators successful analyzable multinational schemes,” Rozolis noted. In this context, the state requires a distinct, permanent, and functional governmental structure for the defence industry, arsenic well arsenic the organization constitution of an mean target of astir 25% concerning the information of the Greek defence manufacture successful the country’s armament program—“an accidental that should not beryllium missed,” arsenic marketplace participants stressed.

Claim for information exceeding 10 billion

The contented of a 25% information complaint of Greek defence companies successful armament programme featured prominently astatine this year’s DEFEA Conference.

On his part, the Minister of Defence, Nikos Dendias underlined that this percent was acceptable arsenic a information by the existent government. He clarified, however, that it does not transportation legislative force, allowing for a grade of flexibility successful its implementation. According to Dendias, “we estimation that much than 10 cardinal euros could beryllium absorbed by the Greek defence ecosystem.” He added that this stock could emergence to higher levels, perchance reaching 30%–33%, provided that Greek companies are capable to conscionable the requirements.