On Tuesday, 23 June 2026, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias — representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis — underscored the urgent need for systemic transformation in Greece’s defence sector. Speaking at the inauguration of METLEN’s fourth industrial unit, M Technologies, in the Volos Defence Hub, Dendias stressed that only through radical change can Greece remain strong, secure, and resilient amid accelerating global instability.
‘Everything Is Changing’
‘Everything on this planet is changing. And since everything is changing, everything in defence must change too — so our country can remain strong and secure,’ Dendias said, setting the tone for the government’s ‘Agenda 2030’ and its new strategic philosophy for the Hellenic Armed Forces and domestic defence industry.
Two Core Challenges
Dendias identified two overarching national challenges. The first is security: ‘Our country faces a real threat. We are the only country on Earth with a formally declared casus belli from a neighbouring state,’ he stated, clarifying that this threat relates to the exercise of a legitimate right enshrined in the European acquis.
The second challenge, he said, is Greece’s persistent current account deficit — one of the key factors behind the 2010 sovereign debt crisis. ‘A poor country cannot be a strong country — and Greece’s destiny is not to be poor,’ he remarked.
‘Not Products, But Solutions’
The minister highlighted a fundamental shift in how the Armed Forces approach capability development: leadership no longer seeks off-the-shelf products, but instead defines operational problems and invites the defence ecosystem — including industry and research centres — to co-develop tailored solutions.
He cited drone swarms as a concrete example, noting that through the Hellenic Defence Innovation Centre, companies and military R&D units are being called upon to deliver answers — not just hardware. ‘Not products — solutions,’ he said, adding that those solutions may even involve emerging or experimental technologies.
Dendias stressed the need to dramatically accelerate development cycles: ‘A system valuable today may be obsolete in eight to ten months.’ He referenced a Ukrainian drone recently detected in the Ionian Sea — an older-generation platform — while next-generation drones increasingly integrate artificial intelligence.
Embracing Failure as Part of Innovation
He also placed strong emphasis on accepting, and even funding, the risk of failure in defence innovation. ‘We must allow for failure — and we must subsidise that risk,’ he said, explaining that prototyping demands experimentation and creative problem-solving.
Dendias urged against criminalising well-intentioned but unsuccessful initiatives — warning against sensationalist ‘front-page’ prosecutions of firms making honest attempts. Defence innovation, he stressed, requires both political will and broad societal acceptance.
Long-Term Planning and Greek Ownership
The minister concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to long-term strategic planning and deepening domestic participation across the defence value chain — from research and design to manufacturing and integration — ensuring Greece retains sovereignty over its critical security capabilities.