Hellenic Air Force has sent on September 14th, its Patriot system and the team to Saudi Arabia. Greek defence Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Nikolaos Hardalos, and the Chief of General Staff Georgiou Blioumi attended the departure ceremony at the Tanagra Air Base.
The formation of the Hellenic Force in Saudi Arabia and the deployment of a Directed Missile Artillery (RMS) of the PATRIOT long-range anti-aircraft system aims to strengthen the air defence and missile defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the framework of the Integrated Air Missile Defence (IAMD Concept).
The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Athens Saad Alamman, the Ambassador of Kuwait to Athens Saud Faisal Saud Aldaweesh, the Representative of the US Embassy in Athens David Burger as a representative of Geoffrey. Pyatt, Saudi Arabia"s Defence Attaché in Athens Lt. Gen. Rashed Alaboudi and US Air Defence Attorney in Athens Brigadier General Christopher Barber.
According to the bilateral agreement, the U.S.-made Patriot system will be used to protect critical energy facilities in the kingdom. Greece and Saudi Arabia have signed the deal in April 2021. Yemen"s Iran-aligned Houthi movement attacks the energy infrastructure of the kingdom.
