The strengthening of Greece’s deterrent power is advancing on multiple fronts, as preparations peak at the Ministry of Defense for the presentation of the new armament program by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, scheduled for April 2 in Parliament.

The new vision for the Greek Armed Forces in the 21st century, as outlined in the “Agenda 2030”, was once again emphasized yesterday by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. In his Order of the Day for the National Anniversary of March 25, 1821, he stated: “Freedom of nations in the course of humanity is not a free provision. The independence we enjoy today, the State we have built, the Greek Republic, is the result of this constant effort.” He added, “Greece, therefore, does not rest.”

On the contrary, “with ‘Agenda 2030’ we are implementing the greatest reform of the Armed Forces in the history of the Modern Greek State:

· We are multiplying our operational capabilities.
· We are modernizing our equipment.
· We are investing in innovation and new technologies.
· We are upgrading our defense infrastructure.
· We are strengthening our strategic position in the broader region,” he affirmed.

Furthermore, according to the Minister of National Defense, “Greece maintains a consistently deterrent posture in its strategy,” meaning it “safeguards its sovereign rights with dedication to the rules of International Law and the principles of peaceful coexistence.”

“Urban warfare”

Despite this deterrent doctrine, the continuous upgrading of the Greek Armed Forces presses forward, with the Pentagon focusing on the country’s immediate response to hybrid threats, emerging challenges, and dynamic technological applications that have reshaped traditional warfare—most often leading, in the 21st century, to “urban warfare”, as in the case of drones in Ukraine.

“Thōrax” the “watchful eye”

In this context, the Ministers of National Defense and Development, Nikos Dendias and Takis Theodorikakos respectively, signed yesterday—on the eve of the national anniversary—the agreement for the “Thōrax” program. The program is financed by the Ministry of Development with €48.95 million from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Referring to the contract signing, Dendias remarked that “‘Agenda 2030’ leads to the creation of the strongest Armed Forces we have ever had,” while Theodorikakos added, “The Ministry of Development is supporting national defense and the security of our homeland and citizens through concrete actions.”

Describing the functionality of “Thōrax”, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias explained: “This system collects data from all the sensors we have—radar, aerial, ground-based means, UAVs, observation posts, electronic systems—from all agencies, not only the Armed Forces, but also the Hellenic Police, the Coast Guard, and Civil Protection. It categorizes, prioritizes, processes the data, and then presents this advanced output—clearly incorporating Artificial Intelligence—to the appropriate decision-making unit or authority.”

“Patriotism is the foremost value we serve, and it underpins every aspect of our policy at the Ministry of Development. The best long-term and strategic defense is economic development, investment, job creation in border regions—policies that also help address demographic challenges and reduce social and regional inequalities,” emphasized Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos.

For the Minister of Defense, “The ‘Thōrax’ Program is an essential component of ‘Agenda 2030’. It is an integrated decision-support information system for our country’s Armed Forces,” adding that “Armed Forces—indeed, I dare say, a modern state in the 21st century—cannot be conceived without such capabilities. Everything we’re doing within the scope of the ‘Agenda 2030’ reform would have limited meaning if not paired with such a system.” “And to conclude,” he said, “‘Agenda 2030’ is unique in the history of modern Greece. It leads to the formation of the most powerful Armed Forces we have ever had.”

Raises and Benefits

According to reliable sources, the presentation of the new armament program in Parliament by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias may coincide with an updated and enhanced version of the program in terms of budget, following significant European developments, while the Pentagon is working on a new payroll system for the Armed Forces—a system that had been “frozen” due to fiscal constraints over the past fifteen years.

Notably, “Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, during last Friday’s reception of the new President of the Republic, Kostas Tasoulas, at the Pentagon, stated that ‘we must also address the core compensation of our personnel, and we must modernize this as well, because the overall reform constitutes our institutional obligation to our history and to our survival—for a secure, strong, and sovereign Greece,'” with the relevant announcements expected within days.