Greece is getting its own domestic weapons production line. GEK TERNA, one of Greece's largest infrastructure and energy...

Greece is getting its own domestic weapons production line. GEK TERNA, one of Greece's largest infrastructure and energy groups, has signed a binding long-term alliance with German defense giant Rheinmetall to build and maintain tactical ground systems inside Greece. The deal, which upgrades a memorandum of understanding the two companies signed in late 2025, goes well beyond procurement. The agreement includes technology transfer, meaning Greece will gain access to Rheinmetall's defense technology and manufacture it domestically rather than simply buying finished equipment from abroad. The partnership specifically targets the Greek armed forces with new tactical ground systems and upgrades to existing equipment, backed by full lifecycle maintenance support. Greek small and medium-sized enterprises will be brought into the production and supply chains, with the stated goal of building specialized technical workforce inside the country. The companies say the framework is designed to give Greece greater operational autonomy in its defense sector, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical military equipment. That matters in a region where Turkey's military posture has pushed Athens to significantly expand defense spending over the past several years. Rheinmetall has been on an aggressive European expansion since the war in Ukraine accelerated NATO rearmament. Partnering with GEK TERNA gives the German firm a manufacturing foothold in Southeast Europe, while Greece gets the industrial and technological base it has long lacked for independent defense production. The deal also fits into a broader NATO push to diversify and harden European defense supply chains, with Greece positioned as a production hub rather than just an end buyer. #Greece #DefenseIndustry #NATO