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Greece's parliament has authorized the purchase of 36 advanced rocket artillery systems from Israel in a deal worth approximately 650 million euros ($758 million), two officials familiar with the matter confirmed Thursday, marking a significant expansion of the country's long-range strike capabilities.
The parliamentary defense committee approved the acquisition of PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System) rocket launchers during a closed session, a senior official told Reuters. A second official placed the final cost between 650 and 700 million euros.
The Israeli-made systems, manufactured by Elbit Systems, will bolster Greece's ability to defend its northeastern border with Türkiye and its Aegean Sea islands. With a maximum range of up to 300 kilometers, the PULS platforms can launch various precision-guided munitions and represent one of the most capable rocket artillery systems currently in service worldwide.
The purchase forms part of an ambitious 28 billion euro defense spending program running through 2036, as Greece emerges from a devastating debt crisis that spanned 2009 to 2018. The country has moved aggressively to upgrade its armed forces while attempting to maintain military parity with Türkiye, its historic rival and fellow NATO member.
Greece and Türkiye have remained locked in disputes over continental shelf boundaries, energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean, aviation rights over the Aegean Sea, and the divided island of Cyprus. These longstanding disagreements have periodically escalated into dangerous military confrontations despite both nations' membership in the Atlantic alliance.
The PULS system can be configured to carry multiple types of munitions in sealed pod containers, including shorter-range unguided rockets and longer-range precision missiles. The Predator Hawk variant, which Greece is expected to acquire, reaches the system's maximum 300-kilometer range with GPS-guided accuracy.
According to the agreement, components of the systems will be manufactured in Greece, providing a degree of domestic industrial participation in the program. Greece first entered discussions with Israel about the rocket launchers in November, Reuters previously reported.
The two countries have strengthened economic and diplomatic relations in recent years, conducting joint military exercises and operating a shared air combat training center in southern Greece. Greek officials are also negotiating a separate 3 billion euro agreement with Israel to develop an integrated anti-aircraft and missile defense system.
Multiple European nations have recently selected the PULS platform. The Netherlands ordered 20 systems in a $305 million contract signed in May 2023, while Denmark acquired eight launchers earlier that year. Germany approved the purchase of five systems in December 2024 after sending some of its existing rocket artillery to Ukraine.
Israel Defense Forces began deploying the PULS, designated "Lahav" in Israeli service, in 2020. The system saw its first combat use during operations in Gaza in February 2024. Azerbaijan previously employed an earlier version during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The approval positions Greece alongside a growing number of countries adopting Israeli precision rocket artillery as tensions rise across Europe and the Middle East.
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