Greece is considering deploying two AH-64D Apache attack helicopters to the United Arab Emirates to help bolster defenses against drone attacks, according to well-informed sources.
Preparations involving the helicopters and their crews are already under way, with the deployment expected to proceed once conditions allow. The aircraft would operate as “drone hunters”—a mission in which Apaches have demonstrated effectiveness based on lessons from recent Middle East operations.
The helicopters, together with pilots and technical support personnel, would be based at a facility that also hosts other international forces, primarily American units. A Greek delegation recently visited Abu Dhabi to prepare for the mission and inspect the facilities that would accommodate the crews and aircraft.
The Greek Apaches are expected to integrate into a broader force responsible for defending the base and protecting critical UAE infrastructure. That force would be composed mainly of the Emirates’ own Apache fleet, with the possible participation of U.S. helicopters.
Officials note that the deployment would give Greek crews valuable operational experience in countering drones and other unmanned aerial systems. Insights gained in the UAE, combined with the experience already acquired by Greek Patriot missile battery personnel serving in Saudi Arabia, are expected to be incorporated into Greece’s own military planning.
The move builds on close security cooperation between Greece and the UAE under a defense agreement signed in November 2020.
