Greece to Deploy AH-64D Apaches to Abu Dhabi as Drone Hunters

Greece is examining the deployment of 2 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters from the Hellenic Army Aviation to the United Arab Emirates for counter-drone operations.

Preparations for the helicopters and their pilots and technical personnel have already begun, and a Greek delegation recently visited Abu Dhabi to inspect host facilities.

The move, if confirmed, would extend Greece's existing Gulf defence footprint that already includes a Patriot battery deployed in Saudi Arabia since 2021.

It also fits a pattern of reciprocal defence cooperation between Athens and Abu Dhabi under a bilateral agreement signed in November 2020.

No official confirmation from the Hellenic National Defence General Staff or Ministry of Defence had appeared yet.

The Mission: Apache as Drone Hunter

The 2 Greek AH-64Ds would join a joint operational group at a UAE base that hosts other international forces, primarily American units.

Their primary role would be defending the base and protecting critical UAE infrastructure against drone attack, specifically the Shahed-type one-way attack drones that Iran and aligned groups have deployed repeatedly against Gulf targets during the current escalation cycle.

The UAE operates approximately 30 AH-64D Delta variant Apaches of its own, with possible U.S. Apache participation in the same operational group.

The Apache has proven highly effective in this role: UAE footage from earlier this year showed successful drone kills using the helicopter's chin-mounted M230 30mm chain gun, which fires high-explosive rounds at approximately 625 rounds per minute.

The gun is helmet-slaved, meaning the pilot aims by looking at the target and costs far less per engagement than air-to-air or surface-to-air missiles.

Helicopters also match low-and-slow drone speeds more effectively than fast jets, allowing multiple engagement opportunities per sortie.

What Greece Gets: Real-World Counter-UAS Experience

Hellenic Army Aviation crews operating in the UAE counter-drone environment will accumulate real-world experience against unmanned aerial systems (UAS), tactics, engagement sequencing, and operational lessons.

This will be incorporated directly into Hellenic Armed Forces operational planning.

Greece's Patriot battery in Saudi Arabia has already conducted multiple combat intercepts of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, including confirmed engagements in March and July this year, targeting energy infrastructure.

The Apache deployment would add rotary-wing counter-drone proficiency to that growing body of operational experience, directly applicable to the Aegean and Evros threat environment.

A Reciprocal Partnership: Spare Parts and Munitions

The potential deployment sits within a defence relationship that has already delivered concrete material benefits to both sides.

The UAE supplied critical spare parts that restored Greek Apache operational availability after manufacturer support for older variants ended and following flood damage at Stefanovikeio air base.

Deliveries included at least 18 engines and 43 transmission gearboxes, plus earlier batches, in a package valued at approximately €50 million finalized around mid-2025.

That support covered both the 9 AH-64D Longbows currently in service and the ongoing upgrade of 19 AH-64A+ aircraft, work carried out by Elbit Systems, including Spike NLOS missile integration on selected airframes.

Greece has reciprocated with defensive munitions and support to the UAE and Qatar this year under the same November 2020 framework.

Sending 2 Deltas to Abu Dhabi is a contribution that leverages existing interoperability with UAE and U.S. Apache operators while deepening a defence relationship that has already proven mutually beneficial across multiple domains.