The Israel Aeronautics company, together with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Stolero Aeron, have agreed to supply Greece with Orbiter 3 drones. The contract is part of a 370 million-euro ($404 million) deal for Rafael’s Spike missiles, with dozens of drones set to be delivered to the Greek Defense Ministry. The Orbiter 3 is an unmanned aerial system that weighs 32 kilograms (71 pounds) and has a flight range of up to six hours, making it ideal for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
The deal was announced ahead of Yom HaShaoh, the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, but the Israeli Defense Ministry did not provide further details. The combination of the Orbiter 3 and Spike missiles will provide a significant operational advantage on the modern battlefield, with the Orbiter 3 detecting targets and the Spike missiles quickly closing the sensor-shooter loop using the Fire Weaver system, C4I.
Rafael has also introduced the NLOS Mission Taskforce (NMT) system, which offers organic detection, attack, and fire control capabilities to small mobile combat units. Aeronautics has already supplied the Orbiter 3 to an unnamed Asian country in 2019 and won a contract with another unnamed customer in South America.
The Orbiter 3 UAV does not need a runway for takeoff and can navigate environments without GPS and in adverse weather conditions, making it a versatile tool for a range of missions. The Israel Aeronautics company was founded in 1997 and acquired by Rafael and Stolero Aeron in 2019.
Greece and Israel have been collaborating closely in defense in recent years, with joint drills and defense agreements signed. The agreement between Aeronautics and Greece represents a significant advancement in defense cooperation between the two countries and demonstrates the benefits of integrating modern weapons systems and drone technology on the battlefield.