Israel signs deal to lease drones to Greece for border defence
15:56, 06/05/2020, WednesdayU: Update: 15:58, 06/05/2020, Wednesday
REUTERS
A drone flown by Israeli soldiers trying to intercept Palestinian kites and balloons loaded with flammable materials, is pictured in an area where such devices have caused blazes on the Israeli side of the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, near Kissufim, Israel June 5, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Israel said it will lease drones to Greece to defend its borders, in the first military deal between the two countries which includes an option to buy the system.
The Israeli Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that the agreement with the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence was signed digitally due to the coronavirus crisis.
Under the deal, Israel's Defence Ministry will lease the Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, made by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries for three years.
The Heron system, which is used by Israel's military and in naval forces around the world, is equipped with both day and night activity platforms, maritime patrol radars and satellite communications.
It will be used by Greece primarily for border defence, the Israeli ministry said in a statement, adding that security relations between Israel and Greece were expanding.
"We hope to sign additional agreements with Greece as well as other European partners, assisting them in addressing security challenges – in times of the corona pandemic and beyond," Yair Kulas, head of the Israel's International Defence Cooperation Directorate, said.