His belief that in 2030 our country will have the strongest Armed Forces in its history that “will provide the Greek citizen and the Greek society with the good of security at the highest level” was emphasized by the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, in a speech that addressed today to the Maritime Club of Piraeus, as a guest at the working lunch.

“The threats we face today are in no way similar to the threats we faced in the last century. That’s why it takes decision, bravery, a clear look and accepting political costs” explained Mr. Dendias.

Specifically for the Navy, he pointed out that “we are obliged to quickly implement a basic armament program” and referred to the three plus one Belh@rra, which will be ships that “will carry”, as he said, “strategic weapons capabilities”. He added that “very great efforts are being made to modernize the existing vessels of the fleet, either the MEKOs or any other vessels we keep in operation”.

“The Aegean is an area whose vital importance for our existence does not need to be underlined. Our country actually hugs the Aegean. The question is, how can Greece ensure deterrence in this area?” emphasized Mr. Dendias.

“The country has changed Doctrine” he said and added: “It will create a complete anti-aircraft canopy, which will cover the Greek territory at various levels.”

“This anti-aircraft canopy will cover the country with mobile units, using as an advantage, what in principle is considered a disadvantage, the 2,500 islands that we have in addition to the continental area,” he clarified.

He also added that “the country must in a short period of time acquire an antidrone dome, which covers the entirety of the Greek Armed Forces, wherever and whenever they operate, as well as the entirety of Greek vital facilities, wherever they are located” .

“A Greek antidrone system was created for the first time… It’s called ‘Kentauros'” Mr. Dendias continued and pointed out: “This system was first tested on a mobile base in the Eastern Aegean and then in real conditions on our frigates in the Red Sea. It is this antidrone that did the two drone shootings you saw in the Dutch video, from the Dutch flagship in the Red Sea.”

“Kentauros” as he explained, “will now equip all four MEKO frigates and slowly evolving will become the most important, among the four different, anti-drone systems that will be used by the Greek Armed Forces and will ensure this element of dome”.

He did not fail to refer to the Directorate of Innovation at GEETHA which will “ask the Armed Forces to submit to it the problems they face that require innovative solutions”.

Mr. Dendias mentioned that the Army also needs to be reformed. “We are taking the lessons of Ukraine, the lessons of Gaza,” he emphasized.

“The logic of the Army, which is made up of civilians, is essential. We can’t do it without a citizen army,” he said.

We will create, he said, “a new term with hard training and also with the ability to give certifications of professional qualifications that the market indicates to us, so that they are useful in the Armed Forces and also useful once they leave the Armed Forces.”

For the reserve, he pointed out that “the way it is integrated into the active military is something that concerns us and will change completely.” “We have to go elsewhere. We have to change,” he said characteristically.

He also spoke about the Hellenic Center for Defense Innovation, which “takes the question and transfers it to the ecosystem and to the Military Schools that we create and develop the research centers”.

Mr. Dendias was welcomed by the president of the Piraeus Maritime Club, George Sp. Alexandratos.

Present at the speech were the Deputy Minister of National Defense, Yiannis Kefalogiannis, the Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development and Food, Christos Kellas, the mayor of Piraeus, Ioannis Moralis, the head of the General Directorate of Defense, Vice-Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras PN, the president of the Athens Academy Stamatios Krimizis, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Piraeus Vassilis Korkidis, the honorary head of the GEN vice admiral e.a. Stylianos Petrakis PN, the former secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Efthymios Mitropoulos, senior officers e.a. of the Army and the Navy, representatives of the maritime and business world, executives of the self-government and productive bodies, etc..I.I.