Greece gave the public its first look at "Achilles' Shield" on Wednesday, rolling out key components of the country's ne...

Greece gave the public its first look at "Achilles' Shield" on Wednesday, rolling out key components of the country's new five-layer air and missile defense architecture during the Oxi Day military parade in Thessaloniki. The event took place along Megalou Alexandrou Avenue in the presence of President Konstantinos Tasoulas and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. This year's parade broke with tradition by opening at 11 a.m. with a dedicated segment for Achilles' Shield hardware, a system designed to counter a full spectrum of modern aerial threats including drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Among the systems shown for the first time publicly were the Drone Dome counter-drone platform, a SPYDER missile launcher, and an accompanying missile resupply vehicle. The Hellenic Navy brought its own autonomous and unmanned platforms to the avenue, presenting PLUTINO, PLUTO GIGAS, and CORSAIR alongside the Greek-produced Pyrpolitis system. Three domestically developed defense technologies also made their public debut: Archytas, a Greek-developed UAV; Kentauros, a counter-drone system built to detect and disrupt hostile aircraft; and Hyperion, a drone detection and neutralization platform. American equipment featured as well, with a Stryker M1126 armored vehicle tied to military transfers agreed at the sixth round of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue. The Patroller and V-BAT unmanned aircraft, a mobile drone production unit operated by the Hellenic Army, Spike NLOS precision-guided missiles, Leopard tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, M109 self-propelled howitzers, and M1117 Guardian armored vehicles were also part of the column. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said the parade was meant to show "the progress made in the transformation of the Armed Forces" and "the transition to a new era." The FDI frigate Kimon, which arrived in Thessaloniki on October 25, was moored nearby. The parade was scheduled to run approximately four hours. The event marks the 86th anniversary of Greece's rejection of Mussolini's ultimatum on October 28, 1940. #OxiDay #AchillesShield #GreekArmedForces