ATHENS – After Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system – with help from French, American and British fighter jet pilots – knocked Iranian missiles and drones from the skies during an attack, Greece is looking to create a similar protection method.

Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told SKAI TV, while talking about Israel being able to screen itself from the attacks that Greece “must shield itself … examining the conflict in Ukraine, we have concluded that it is imperative to construct an anti-aircraft and anti-drone dome.”

With the Middle East in conflict and the likelihood it could spread, and endanger countries not involved but who take political stands for or against Israel during its invasion of the Gaza Strip in a hunt for Hamas terrorists, it said it was time to act.

“We didn’t anticipate it early enough. The innovation system, excluding small businesses, failed to properly evaluate the situation, so we need to make up for lost time,” he said, acknowledging Turkey has already done so.

Dendias admitted that developing such infrastructure will be time-consuming, adding that there is a budget allocation earmarked for it in the 2030 agenda, without revealing the cost or details.

Dendias didn’t say against whom Greece would need the defense as there is a detente with Turkey which had been regularly violating Greek airspace with fighter jets and had challenged the sovereignty of the seas.

The Iron Dome is the bottom layer of Israel’s missile defense. Developed by Israel with US backing, it specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. Israel said it has a success rate of over 90 percent.