Greece has opened the process of establishing a permanent drone base near the military airport on the island of Rhodes, the Ministry of Defense in Athens announced. It will be the country's second dedicated drone base, following the facility on the island of Skyros.
Until now, drones operating on Rhodes have been deployed from temporary platforms, a setup that has made their use more difficult. The planned base is intended to provide a more suitable and permanent infrastructure for operating the unmanned systems.
Greece has been developing a domestic drone industry, with local companies designing and producing their own unmanned systems. At the same time, the Greek armed forces continue to rely on foreign suppliers, purchasing drones from the United States and Israel.
The Defense Ministry said Greek-made drones are not yet capable of fully meeting the needs of the armed forces, making continued imports necessary.
Greek defense companies recently showcased their developing technologies during a special military exercise held this summer. The systems presented included drones, counter-drone equipment and other unmanned technologies, which were tested under conditions designed to reflect actual military requirements.
