Greece–Israel: Strategic Agreement on Next-Generation Autonomous Submarine
- Caroline Haïat
- May 9
- 2 min read
This week, during the DEFEA exhibition, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer IAI’s autonomous submarine BlueWhale to the Hellenic Navy. This unique collaboration between the Hellenic and Israeli aerospace industries marks a major milestone in defense cooperation and commercial relations.
“This strategic collaboration represents a significant advancement in strengthening Greece’s underwater defense capabilities. The Aegean Sea is characterized by a complex geography, and the ability to ensure persistent surveillance enables rapid response and operational advantage. The deployment of BlueWhale will provide the Hellenic Armed Forces with the benefits of a robust solution combining anti-submarine warfare, mine neutralization, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities,” said Alexandros Diakopoulos, CEO of HAI and Rear Admiral (ret.).
As part of this partnership, HAI will play a central role in the production and technological evolution of the BlueWhale autonomous submarine system, leveraging its extensive experience in the design, development, and production of complex technological systems. The memorandum also grants HAI access to IAI’s cutting-edge technologies, with opportunities for technology transfer and active involvement in projects of high operational importance.
Developed by IAI, BlueWhale is a large unmanned underwater vehicle, measuring 10.9 meters in length, 1.12 meters in diameter, and weighing 5.5 tons.
“BlueWhale represents a transformational leap in maritime defense. The signed memorandum of understanding is an exciting step forward in our commitment to enhancing Greece’s maritime security and operational readiness through advanced autonomous technology,” said Dror Bar, Executive Vice President of IAI and CEO of ELTA.
BlueWhale is capable of conducting a wide range of covert maritime missions, including surface intelligence gathering, submarine and underwater target detection, acoustic intelligence collection, and naval mine detection on the seabed. The autonomous submarine can perform many of the missions of a manned submarine for several weeks, at lower cost, with minimal maintenance, and without risking operators’ lives.
BlueWhale has been successfully deployed for thousands of dive hours and has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare/electromagnetic intelligence, and mine countermeasures.
Founded in 1975, Hellenic Aerospace Industry S.A. is Greece’s largest aerospace and defense company. Its primary mission is to provide aerospace and defense products and services to the Hellenic state, as well as to military and civilian markets.
Caroline Haïat
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