Greece and Israel Forge Strategic Partnership on Autonomous Submarine Technology
IAI and HAI sign MoU to co-develop and offer the BlueWhale uncrewed underwater system to the Hellenic Navy, advancing maritime defense and regional security
Photo: IAI
In a significant step toward strengthening maritime defense cooperation, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the DEFEA defense exhibition in Athens. The agreement focuses on offering IAI’s advanced BlueWhale autonomous submarine system to the Hellenic Navy, marking a new chapter in Greek-Israeli strategic collaboration.
The partnership positions HAI as a key player in both the production and future development of the BlueWhale system. Leveraging its extensive experience in designing and manufacturing sophisticated defense technologies, HAI will contribute to enhancing the system’s capabilities while also benefiting from technology transfer and deeper access to IAI’s expertise.
Developed by IAI, the BlueWhale is a state-of-the-art large uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), measuring 10.9 meters in length, 1.12 meters in diameter, and weighing 5.5 tons. Designed to undertake a broad spectrum of covert missions, it is capable of gathering intelligence above and below the sea surface, detecting submarines and underwater threats, collecting acoustic intelligence, and locating naval mines on the seabed.
With thousands of operational diving hours under its belt, BlueWhale has proven its effectiveness in missions ranging from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to electronic warfare (EW), electronic support measures (ESM), and mine countermeasures (MCM). It is capable of carrying out many of the tasks traditionally assigned to crewed submarines, but with significantly reduced operational risk and cost.
"We are proud to strengthen our partnership with the Hellenic Aerospace Industry through this strategic agreement, further enhancing the defense capabilities of Greece,” said Boaz Levy, President and CEO of IAI. “This collaboration reflects our deep commitment to supporting Greece’s defense priorities by offering cutting-edge, operationally proven solutions while fostering local industry, technological independence, and long-term regional resilience."
Dror Bar, Executive VP of IAI and CEO of ELTA, highlighted the technological leap represented by the BlueWhale, noting that "BlueWhale represents a transformational leap in maritime defense. It delivers the advanced capabilities of a crewed submarine. Today’s MoU marks an exciting step forward in our commitment to advancing Greece’s maritime security and operational readiness with cutting-edge, autonomous technology."
Rear Admiral (ret.) Alexandros Diakopoulos, CEO of HAI, pointed to the operational value for Greece: "This strategic collaboration marks a step forward in strengthening Greece’s undersea defense capabilities. The potential integration and co-production of BlueWhale deepens the bilateral ties and represents a leap toward technological autonomy for our country. The Aegean Sea is characterized by complex geography, and the ability to conduct persistent surveillance can ensure rapid response and operational advantage."
As Greece continues to modernize its defense infrastructure in an increasingly complex regional environment, the integration of autonomous systems like BlueWhale offers a compelling edge. This collaboration not only reinforces the strategic partnership between Israel and Greece but also advances Europe’s broader maritime security landscape with scalable, next-generation technologies.