A media storm erupted in Turkey after Greece unveiled a new deterrence doctrine, “Achilles Shield,” centered on deploying missile systems across the Aegean islands.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias presented the doctrine in two speeches over the weekend, triggering sharp reactions in Ankara — especially his declaration that Greece would “close the Aegean Sea from the land.”
Speaking at the “Greece in Global Perspective” conference in Athens, Dendias said Greece is abandoning the old model of separate land, sea, and air forces and is shifting to a multilayered defense concept. Regarding the Aegean, he said the navy alone can no longer defend it. Instead, Greece will rely primarily on mobile missile artillery placed on “hundreds, if not thousands,” of islands.
This, he said, would allow the Greek navy — including four new French and four Italian frigates — to operate freely. These new frigates will carry strategic missiles with ranges over 1,500 km, giving Greece significant deterrence power.
