Greece set to extend Patriot missile system in Saudi Arabia as Houthi threat remains.

According to information published by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, on August 16, 2025, the Hellenic Armed Forces are preparing to extend their Patriot missile battery deployment in Saudi Arabia until November 2026 following a formal request by Riyadh. The air-defense mission, led by the elite ELDYSA unit of the Hellenic Air Force since September 2021, continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding Saudi Arabia’s critical energy infrastructure, with ARAMCO facilities remaining a key protection priority amid persistent regional threats.
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The Greek-operated MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3 system in Saudi Arabia provides high-altitude interception against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, using hit-to-kill technology and 360-degree radar coverage to defend critical infrastructure from Houthi attacks (Picture source: Greek Army).

This prospective extension, currently under final review in Athens, reflects a significant deepening of Greece’s strategic partnership with the Kingdom. First formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2021, the bilateral cooperation reinforces Saudi Arabia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense posture. The Greek Patriot system complements existing U.S., British, and French deployments in the region and is actively involved in countering ballistic missile and drone attacks launched by Iran-backed Houthi forces targeting the eastern provinces of the Kingdom.

The Hellenic Air Force’s deployed Patriot system is based on the MIM-104 Patriot PAC-3 variant, one of the most sophisticated surface-to-air missile systems in active service globally. Operated by Greece’s 350 Guided Missile Wing, the system consists of multiple key components including the AN/MPQ-65 multifunction phased-array radar, the Engagement Control Station, the OE-349 antenna mast group for high-frequency data and voice transmission, and M901 launch stations mounted on semi-trailers. The radar operates in the C-band and can detect, track, and classify over 100 airborne threats simultaneously including tactical ballistic missiles with a range up to 1,000 kilometers. It provides 360-degree coverage with advanced electronically scanned array capabilities, enabling rapid cueing of interceptors with minimal latency.

The deployed interceptor missiles are the PAC-3 CRI and, according to defense sources, may include PAC-3 MSE units for higher altitude and range. The PAC-3 MSE variant features a dual-pulse solid propellant motor, increased kinetic hit-to-kill capability, and improved maneuverability via enlarged control fins and a more efficient thrust-vectoring system. It has an engagement envelope of over 35 kilometers in altitude and more than 60 kilometers in range for high-speed ballistic threats. The missile uses active radar homing for terminal guidance and is equipped with a high-precision Ka-band seeker, allowing it to destroy incoming targets by direct impact rather than proximity detonation, ensuring a higher kill probability against fast-moving or maneuverable projectiles.

From a tactical and operational standpoint, the deployment of the Greek Patriot battery significantly enhances the layered air-defense coverage over eastern Saudi Arabia. It acts as a mid to high-altitude intercept layer between lower-tier point-defense systems like the SHORAD Avenger or C-RAM units and higher-tier platforms such as THAAD operated by U.S. forces. In this role, the Greek battery serves both as a shield for key energy infrastructure and as a force multiplier for the Kingdom’s defensive posture, allowing allied assets to be repositioned for broader theater-level coverage. Its rapid reaction time, measured in seconds from detection to engagement, ensures credible protection even in saturation scenarios involving coordinated drone swarms and ballistic salvos, a hallmark of Houthi tactics over the past five years.

Moreover, the presence of the Greek ELDYSA unit in this high-threat environment has introduced NATO-grade command and control protocols, enhancing interoperability with GCC and Western forces. The system’s Link 16 data-sharing capability ensures real-time fusion with allied air picture networks and allows dynamic tasking of interceptors across platforms. During previous periods of heightened Houthi activity, the Greek battery participated in successful joint engagements with Royal Saudi Air Defense and U.S. CENTCOM assets, underscoring its integration within the larger coalition architecture. The unit operates under a high-readiness cycle with 24/7 alert crews and automated threat classification systems capable of handling multiple simultaneous target profiles including loitering munitions, cruise missiles, and medium-range ballistic systems.

Greek authorities are viewing the extension as more than a military decision. It is part of a larger geopolitical strategy that binds Greek and Saudi interests across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has consistently prioritized defense diplomacy with Riyadh, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reciprocating in 2022 by selecting Athens as his first European destination. This alignment is fueled by shared concerns over Turkey’s growing regional assertiveness, particularly regarding contested maritime boundaries and energy exploration zones.

On the ground, the ELDYSA unit remains fully mission-capable and operates in a demanding operational theater marked by extreme heat, sandstorms, and high electromagnetic interference levels. Despite these conditions, the Greek detachment has maintained consistent training cycles and readiness evaluations, often in joint exercises with Saudi and U.S. counterparts. According to regional defense analysts, the deployment has not only elevated Greece’s military credibility in the Gulf but has also reinforced its status as a technologically advanced partner with deployable high-end capabilities.

Beyond military engagement, the partnership is expanding into strategic infrastructure, notably with the launch of a multi-national digital corridor linking Saudi Arabia to Europe via undersea fiber-optic cables through Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. This broader initiative illustrates a growing bilateral agenda that now encompasses cyber-resilience, communications, and economic connectivity.

Athens also considers its defense alignment with Riyadh as a lever in regional flashpoints such as Syria, where Saudi diplomatic influence remains strong. Greek policymakers believe this influence could prove critical in offsetting Ankara’s efforts to broker new maritime agreements with Damascus. Such agreements could directly threaten Cyprus’s maritime sovereignty and destabilize the broader Eastern Mediterranean balance.

Should the extension be approved, the Greek Patriot deployment in Saudi Arabia will become one of the longest-running overseas air-defense operations in Hellenic history. It marks a definitive evolution of Greece’s defense posture from regional actor to a forward-deployed security guarantor in the Gulf, directly contributing to the deterrence architecture against Iranian-aligned threats and enhancing its role in shaping the future strategic landscape of the wider Middle East.