Athens parade showed high‑tech
Greece’s March 25 Independence Day parade drew thousands and doubled as a tech showcase—officials publicly displayed drones, anti‑drone systems and autonomous vehicles during the march through central Athens. The celebrations included a Divine Liturgy at Athens Cathedral and caused traffic and metro disruptions, so expect transit impacts if you’re planning city wandering there soon. (greekreporter.com) (athens-times.com)
President Konstantinos Tasoulas and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the Syntagma ceremony, joined on the reviewing stand by opposition figures including PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis and SYRIZA representative Sokratis Famellos. (voria.gr ) The Greek-built Centaur (ΚΕΝΤΑΥΡΟΣ) counter‑UAS was a featured system and is credited to a collaboration between the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation and the Hellenic Aerospace Industry, with the platform already installed on frigates and used in operations around the Red Sea and Cyprus. (voria.gr ) (tovima.com ) Official technical reporting has circulated specific performance figures for Centaur, with Ekathimerini citing detection ranges up to about 150 km and engagement reach near 25 km as part of Greece’s €30‑billion force‑modernisation drive. (ekathimerini.com ) Naval and air systems paraded included the German SeaHake‑4 heavyweight torpedo, Aster 30 long‑range surface‑to‑air missiles, and several unmanned platforms named in government briefings — the S‑100 and V‑BAT UAS, the vertically‑launched “Archytas” UAV and the A900 unmanned helicopter. (tovima.com ) Officials linked the technology showcase to the Ministry of Defence’s “Agenda 2030” reform programme and a newly emphasised Deterrence Doctrine, with Defence Minister Nikos Dendias publicly stressing drones and innovation as core priorities for force transformation. (athens-times.com ) (greekcitytimes.com ) Transport operators implemented targeted closures: Syntagma metro station was ordered closed from 08:00 until the end of the parades with trains passing through without stopping, tram line 6 and tram line 7 were truncated (with services terminating at Fix and SEF respectively at specified time windows), and wider road parking bans began days in advance in central avenues. (en.protothema.gr ) (keeptalkinggreece.com ) (athens-times.com ) The procession began shortly after 11:00 with coordinated flyovers staged by Rafale and F‑16 fighters operating from Tanagra airbase, and the ground column included recently introduced M‑117 armoured vehicles that the defence ministry says are being integrated into frontline units. (in.gr ) (athens-times.com )
