ATHENS – While building up its arsenal of weapons – after Turkish provocations and before a current detente – Greece also reportedly wants to counter Turkey’s advantage in drones by buying American Switchblade drones.

Greece has drafted a 10-year purchasing plan that also includes acquiring up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets from the United and three frigates from France, as well as earlier purchases of French Rafale fighter jets.

The Switchblade, made by AeroVironment, Inc. flies to a target and detonates and was used by Ukraine to hit Russian troops and targets during the ongoing invasion, helping negate a difference in troop numbers and equipment.

“We have selected the Switchblade type from the U.S.,” a Greek official with knowledge of the issue but not identified told Reuters without specifying how it would be purchased.

https://www.reuters.com/world/greece-buy-us-drones-sources-say-2024-09-18/

A second official said that the cost will be 75.2 million euros ($82.72 million) and that Greece’s Chiefs of Staff approved two types of Switchblade with a range of up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) and up to 40 kilometers (24 miles) too.

That’s designed to add to Spike anti-tank missiles that Athens agreed to purchase from Israel and plans to send to its islands in the Aegean, which could provoke Turkey which earlier objected to what it said was the militarization of islands.

Greece plans to produce its own drone and anti-drone systems but is behind Turkey, which has a strong domestic industry that has seen its drones bought by other countries and were decisive in Azerbaijan’s defeat of Armenia.

The procurement of Switchblades must be also approved by Greece’s top decision-making body on foreign affairs and defense matters, KYSEA but there was no immediate reaction from Turkey on the report.