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

Israel has announced it will not provide Greece with the source code for its billion-dollar layered air-defense system, according to a report by Middle East Eye. The decision stems from the head of Israel's Missile Defence Organisation, Moshe Patel, who stated that the source code was not included in the licence to use the agreement.

Greece, in August, agreed to purchase a $3.5bn air defense system from Israel, which is the largest arms export deal the country has ever made. The system, designed to counter a variety of threats, from drones to long- and short-range missiles, would allow Greek engineers and technicians to upgrade and maintain it without relying on Israeli know-how.

Israel's reluctance to provide the source code could raise concerns about Greek autonomy over the system and potentially impact future exports to other customers, such as Gulf states. Israel's defence ministry has announced it will work with Greece to develop a "Greek source code," ensuring the command and control for the air defense systems remains under exclusive Greek control.

This move is believed to be Israel's first instance of supplying a complete defence array against a wide range of threats, making it a significant milestone in their defense collaboration.