Israel will not give Greece the source code for air-defence system: Report

Israel will not give Greece the source code for air-defence system: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 09/11/2026 - 19:45 After statement from head of missile defence, Israel says it will create a 'Greek source-code' for the billion-dollar system This picture shows a battery of Israel's Iron Dome air defence system deployed near Jerusalem on 15 April 2024 (Menahem Kahana/AFP) Off Israel will not give Greece access to the source code for the command-and-control system of the $3.5bn layered air-defence system it is building for its Mediterranean partner, the head of Israel's Missile Defence Organisation said.

Israel’s decision to withhold the code would compromise Greek autonomy over its own air defence system and could raise questions for other customers of Israeli technology, like Gulf states.

Greece agreed in August to buy a $3.5bn air defence system from Israel. The agreement is Israel's largest arms export deal.

A current US official told Middle East Eye that Israel plans to “scale up” exports of air-defence systems, with the UAE as its desired buyer.

Air defence systems comprise many moving parts, including command-and-control systems, sensors, radar, interceptors, and launchers.

The tiered air defence system that Israel has designed is intended to address a variety of threats, from drones to long- and short-range missiles.

Accessing the command-and-control system would allow Greek engineers and technicians to upgrade and maintain the system without relying on Israeli know-how.

When the director of the Israeli Missile Defence Organisation, Moshe Patel, was asked by Greek newspaper Kathimerini whether Greece would have access to the code, he said: "No.

Because the 'source code' was not included in the licence to use the agreement.

” Israel-Greece air defence deal to be 'scaled up' with UAE as contender, sources say Read More » Following that statement, Israel’s defence ministry said it would work with Greece to develop a “Greek source code”, allowing Athens to access the command and control for the various air defence systems.

“The Greek source code developed under the programme, together with any modifications and additions to it, will remain under exclusive Greek control and be tailored to Greek operational requirements,” the defence ministry said.

But Israel’s reluctance, expressed by the Missile Defence Organisation, is likely to raise questions about the level of Israeli control over the system.

In general, countries exporting sophisticated military hardware have kept a technological edge over their systems.

For example, the US is widely believed to have a so-called “kill switch” over its fifth-generation F-35 warplane.

While the Department of War denies this, the F-35 is grounded in sophisticated American software, data and programmes.

Israel’s defence ministry said this is the first time in history it will “supply a complete defence array against a wide range of threats - from ballistic missiles and aerial threats to hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)”.

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