The deployment of Greek forces to Saudi Arabia, which will be five years old in September 2026, was heavily publicized when it was decided by the Mitsotakis government, as “Mitsotakis’ genius plan,” for diplomatic and operational reasons: first, the Air Force was supposed to gain valuable experience in real combat conditions and second, to secure Saudi Arabia as a strong ally against Turkey.
But what was the financial basis of the agreement?
The Patriot battery (along with approximately 120 personnel) departed on September 15, 2021. Based on the bilateral defense agreement, the Greek State advances all amounts for the operation of the mission and is then compensated by Saudi Arabia in a timely manner.
Saudi Arabia covers transportation, accommodation, food and special out-of-office compensation for approximately 120 Air Force personnel. The annual cost for personnel ranges from 3.5 to 5 million euros (Diavgeia).
The “Thorn” of 6,000,000 euros
At the end of August 2026, it came to light that Saudi Arabia owes us almost 6,000,000 euros in unpaid mission expenses. If Greece decides to withdraw the battery due to the Mecca agreement, Riyadh will probably not cover these debts since clauses against Athens will be activated.
The big upgrade that never happened
The main economic benefit that Greece hoped for was the financing of the modernization of all 6 Greek Patriot batteries at the PAC-3 level, a program estimated at 300-350 million dollars. However, when the war against Iran began, these talks “froze”. The Saudis rejected the modernization, proposing to cover improvements only for the one artillery battery located on their territory !!!
What do Operations Cost (Drones vs Missiles)?
A Patriot anti-ballistic missile (PAC-3 type) costs about 3-4 million dollars. When they shoot down enemy missiles there is some proportion. But when they are used to shoot down cheap Iranian drones ($7,000) the economic balance is asymmetrical. Riyadh has committed to fully replenishing the missiles consumed, so as not to reduce Greece’s national reserves… which are, however, used for Saudi Arabia…
Main Features of the Mecca Agreement
Mutual Defense Clause: the agreement includes a collective security clause similar to Article 5 of NATO, stipulating that an armed attack against any of the three partners will be considered an attack against all.
Political and Military Mechanisms: Permanent cooperation bodies are established. Ankara immediately officially clarified that this defense union “does not contradict” Turkey’s obligations and commitments to NATO.
This is a joint defense and military agreement signed in August 2026 between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, creating a powerful geopolitical axis in the Muslim world.
This alliance links Turkey with NATO’s second largest army, Saudi Arabia, a huge if not the largest economic and political power in the Gulf and the only nuclear arsenal in the Islamic world, namely Pakistan.
Objectives
The joining of forces against the Iranian threat was a catalyst for the Mecca agreement. Of course, note here that this threat appeared after the US and Israel attacked Iran. The existence of the agreement alone sheds light on the issue of whether Iran has been bent and whether the operations against it are successful! If it were, there would certainly be no threat…
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is thus diversifying its defense alliances with the West, which sheds light on the upcoming removal of American bases from the Persian Gulf, while Turkey is strengthening its role as a regional power in the Eastern Mediterranean and as a supplier of military technology (drones, shipbuilding programs, etc.).
Israel Position
The strategic problem for Israel is that it is facing a region that is changing faster than its old alliances.
A Riyadh-Ankara-Islamabad axis already carries significant economic, military and diplomatic weight. If Iran is added to it, even through a loose or limited structure of cooperation, then a scheme with enormous geographical area, military power, energy resources and political influence is created.
And above all, a regional power center is created in which Israel does not participate. This explains why the agreement had already raised alarm in part of the Israeli establishment even before the reports about Tehran appeared. The possibility of Iranian participation would multiply this concern.
Israel’s response
- Given that such a development creates a collective security order in the Middle East in which the US will not be the sole guarantor and Israel will not necessarily be at the center of any regional planning.
- Given that in the future Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan manage to put even Iran in the same framework, then we will not be talking about simply expanding the Mecca Pact.
- Given that we will be talking about the attempt to create a new Middle East. And for Israel, this is perhaps the most worrying element of all.
We believe, as The Liberal Globe, that Israel’s answer should be its entry into the European Union as an associate member with the aim of entering the Eurozone. Israel’s economy satisfies most of the restrictions set by the Maastricht Treaty to become a member not only of the EU, but also of the Eurozone.
Just as the EU places Ukraine as an associate member, with Israel’s entry into the Eurozone and the EU, Israel acquires a strategic defense umbrella that cannot be challenged by any Mecca Defense Agreement. At the same time, the EU will have planted its flag in the heart of the new Middle East.
Greece Goal
Greece was sidelined by the Saudis, since Turkey’s specific weight as a weapons manufacturer and “bully” in the region is much heavier. Greece was left with a large debt and we will see if and when it will be paid.
The signing of the trilateral military agreement has radically changed the situation. There is no strategic benefit in Greece protecting Riyadh, at a time when Riyadh is signing a mutual defense clause with Ankara.
And because of this agreement and the general tension in the Middle East, Greece must proceed with the rearrangement and upgrade of its air defense systems.
Somewhere here we come to the agreement with Israel, “Achilles’ Shield”.
The new much-advertised “Mitsotakis government plan” which is certain that, like the first one, it will be costly and probably not work.
- There is the question of whether this system can perform in the geographical relief of the Aegean, since the Aegean is not a desert of the Negev, does not have a single solid land area with simple border lines, and has blind spots thousands of islets, hidden coasts and mountain ranges. For example, drones flying at very low altitude (sea-skimming) can exploit the relief, creating “blind spots” on radars.
- Also, this system does not answer the very important issue of “saturation”. As the conflicts in the Middle East have shown, “David’s sling” showed a very low score when faced with simultaneous, massive attacks (air defense saturation). But Achilles’ shield… will it succeed…
- When the enemy launches swarms of cheap but very dangerous drones, such systems suffer from “saturation”. This tactic has shaped a new military doctrine, that of Swarm Drone Warfare. Turkey has successfully invested in a coherent doctrine of production and use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs / Drones) specifically designed to cause saturation in expensive air defense systems, such as Patriot or Iron Dome. For more information about swarm drone warfare please read the analysis titled “The Military Stealth Doctrine is Changing: From Stealth Fighter Aircraft to Swarms of UAVs“
The economic disproportion of such interceptions, of course, does not suit the Greek economy.
