Shield has secured a new order from the Nato Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for additional V-BAT vertical take-off and landing uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Hellenic Armed Forces.
The aircraft are intended for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations across land and maritime environments.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Shield said a common V-BAT fleet across the armed forces would enable shared training, maintenance and operational experience.
No quantity or financial value was disclosed.
The V-BAT is a tactical uncrewed aircraft designed to operate without a runway. Its single ducted-fan configuration allows it to launch and recover from ships, islands, coastlines and other sites without dedicated launch equipment.
According to Shield, the aircraft has an endurance of more than 12 hours and uses a heavy-fuel engine. It has been designed for operations in environments where GPS and communications may be disrupted.
The latest contract was placed under the NSPA’s UAS Support Partnership framework. The arrangement allows participating countries to procure and support uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) across their service lives, including acquisition, spares, maintenance, training, upgrades and technical assistance.
Shield Eastern and Southeast Europe regional director James Lythgoe said: “An order for additional V-BATs represents a major expansion of Greece’s persistent ISR capacity and a strong vote of confidence in an aircraft already operating in Hellenic service.
“A common fleet across the Hellenic Armed Forces means shared training, logistics and operational experience, while NSPA provides a streamlined way to acquire the aircraft and keep them ready throughout their service lives.”
The order follows other Shield activities in Greece, including agreements with GEK TERNA and ALTUS LSA.
The defence technology firm has also partnered with EFA GROUP on autonomous systems.
The expanded UAV programme is set against the backdrop of Greece’s increasing defence expenditure.
The Greek government allocated $11.1bn to defence in 2026, marking a 7% compound annual growth rate since 2022.
Analytics firm GlobalData has projected this budget to reach $15.9bn by 2031, driven by ongoing acquisition and personnel investments.
In its ‘Greece Defense Market Data: Budget Allocations, Fleet Size and Program Forecasts, 2026-2035’ report, GlobalData said Greek defence expenditure is principally shaped by the country’s requirement to deter and, if necessary, defend against an invasion by Türkiye.
