Military forces of Greece
Hellenic Armed Forces |
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Coat of arms of the Hellenic Armed Forces |
Founded | 1828 |
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Current form | 1975 |
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Service branches | |
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Headquarters | Athens, Greece |
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President | Katerina Sakellaropoulou |
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Prime Minister | Kyriakos Mitsotakis |
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Minister of National Defense | Nikos Dendias |
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Chief of the General Staff | General Dimitrios Houpis |
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Military age | 18 |
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Conscription | Yes |
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Available for military service | 2,535,174 males, age 15–49 (2008 est.), 2,517,273 females, age 15–49 (2008 est.) |
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Fit for military service | 2,084,469 males, age 15–49 (2008 est.), 2,065,956 females, age 15–49 (2008 est.) |
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Reaching military age annually | 53,858 males (2008 est.), 50,488 females (2008 est.) |
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Active personnel | 142,700 |
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Reserve personnel | 221,350 |
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Budget | €7.086 billion (2021) |
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Percent of GDP | 3.82% (2021) |
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Foreign suppliers | |
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History | Military history of Greece |
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Ranks | Greek military ranks |
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The Hellenic Armed Forces (Greek: Eλληνικές Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις, romanized: Ellinikés Énoples Dynámis) are the military forces of Greece. They consist of the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy, and the Hellenic Air Force.
The civilian authority overseeing the Hellenic Armed Forces is the Ministry of National Defense.
History
Conscription
Greece currently has universal compulsory military service for males from and over 18 years of age. Under Greek law, all men over 18 years of age must serve in the Armed Forces for a period of 9-12 months. Women can serve in the Greek military on a voluntary basis, but cannot be conscripted.
Budget
According to NATO sources in 2008, Greece spent 2.8% of GDP on its military, which translated to about €6.9 billion (US$9.3 billion). In 2008, Greece was the largest importer of conventional weapons in Europe and its military spending was the highest in the European Union relative to the country's GDP, reaching twice the European average.
Data for the 2017 fiscal year showed an estimated expense of €4.3 billion in constant 2010 prices, or €4.2 billion in current prices, equivalent to 2.38% of GDP (+0.01 change since 2016). For the 2018 fiscal year, the expenditure was estimated at €4.3 billion in constant 2010 prices or €4.1 billion in current prices, equivalent to 2.27% of GDP (-0.11% change since 2017).
Military personnel
Military personnel was estimated at approximately 106,000 for year 2017 and 105,000 for year 2018.
International operations
Greece is an EU and NATO member and currently participates primarily in peacekeeping operations. Such operations are ISAF in Afghanistan, EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chad, and KFOR in Kosovo. Greece also maintains a small force in Cyprus.
Component forces and their organization
Hellenic National Defense General Staff
The Hellenic National Defense General Staff has the operational command of the Joint Armed Forces Headquarters and the units that operate under them. It is also responsible for organising and implementing routine operations and exercises of the Joint Armed Forces, coordinating and implementing operations during the management of wartime and peacetime crises and overseeing operations of the Hellenic Armed Forces outside Greek national territory.
Hellenic Army
The basic components of the Hellenic Army are Arms and Corps. The former is responsible for combat missions and the latter for logistical support. It is organized in Commands, Formations, and Units with the main being brigade, division and corps. Its main mission is to guarantee the territorial integrity and independence of the country.
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy incorporates a modern fleet consisting of strike units, such as frigates, gunboats, submarines and fast attack guided missile vessels and multiple types of support vessels, in order to be able to conduct naval operations that protect Greek national interests and guarantee the integrity of Greek territorial waters, the mainland and the islands.
Hellenic Air Force
The Hellenic Air Force incorporates a modern aircraft fleet and congruent structure, combined with a comprehensive air defense system that consists of a widespread network of anti-aircraft weapons. The structure, which is overseen by the Air Force General Staff, includes the Tactical Air Force Command, the Air Force Support Command, the Air Force Training Command and a number of other independent defense units and services. Its main mission is to defend Greek airspace and to provide combat support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy.
See also
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Overview | |
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Regions |
- Central Greece (Aetolia-Acarnania (Aetolia, Acarnania), Attica, Boeotia, Euboea, Evrytania, Phocis, Phthiotis, Saronic Islands)
- Crete (Chania, Heraklion, Rethymno, Lasithi)
- Cyclades (Andros, Delos, Kea, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Syros, Tinos)
- Dodecanese (Agathonisi, Astypalaia, Chalki, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kos, Leipsoi, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Kastellorizo)
- Epirus (Arta, Ioannina, Preveza, Thesprotia)
- Ionian Islands (Corfu, Ithaca, Kefalonia, Kythira, Lefkada, Paxi, Zakynthos)
- Macedonia (Chalkidiki, Drama, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kavala, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Thasos, Thessaloniki)
- North Aegean islands (Chios, Ikaria, Lemnos, Lesbos, Samos)
- Peloponnese (Arcadia, Argolis, Corinthia, Laconia, Messenia, Achaea, Elis)
- Thessaly (Karditsa, Larissa, Magnesia, Trikala, Sporades)
- Thrace (Evros, Rhodope, Xanthi)
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Terrain | |
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Water | |
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Environment | |
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Society |
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Demographics | |
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Culture |
- Anastenaria
- Caryatid
- Clean Monday
- Concept of kingship
- Dress (Chiton, Chlamys, Exomis, Fustanella, Himation, Mariner's cap, Peplos, Perizoma, Tsarouchi, Vraka)
- Eastern Party
- Festivals
- Folklore
- Greek East and Latin West
- Greektown
- Hellenization
- Hospitality
- Carols (Christmas, New Year's, Theophany's)
- Mangas
- Mountza
- Naming customs
- Paideia
- Philhellenism and Hellenophobia
- Plate smashing
- Philosophy
- Public holidays (Independence Day, Ohi Day)
- Rouketopolemos
- Souliotic songs
- Theophany
- Tsiknopempti
- Units of measurement
- Worry beads
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Art | |
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Cuisine |
- Breads (Daktyla, Kritsini, Lagana, Paximadi, Tsoureki)
- Desserts (Diples, Halva, Koulourakia, Kourabiedes, Loukoumades, Melomakarona, Pasteli, Spoon sweets, Vasilopita)
- List of dishes
- Drinks (Mastika, Metaxa, Ouzo, Rakomelo, Sideritis, Tentura, Tsipouro, Tsikoudia, Frappé coffee)
- Cheeses (Anthotyros, Feta, Graviera, Kasseri, Kefalotyri, Ladotyri, Manouri, Metsovone, Mizithra)
- Filo (Amygdalopita, Bougatsa, Galaktoboureko, Karydopita, Spanakopita, Tiropita)
- Greek salad (Dakos)
- Meze
- Pasta (Gogges, Flomaria, Hilopites)
- Restaurants (Kafenio, Ouzeri, Taverna)
- Sauces (Skordalia, Taramosalata, Tirokafteri, Tzatziki)
- Souvlaki
- Varieties (Heptanesean, Cretan, Epirote, Macedonian)
- Wine (Agiorgitiko, Aidini, Assyrtiko, Athiri, Kotsifali, Lesbian, Limnio, Mavrodafni, Mandilaria, Malagousia, Malvasia, Moschofilero, Retsina, Robola, Savatiano, Vilana, Xinomavro)
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Languages |
- Greek alphabet (History, Orthography, Diacritics, Braille, Cyrillization, Romanization (Greeklish) and numerals
- Greek language (Demotic, Katharevousa) and dialects (Cappadocian, Cretan, Cypriot, Greco-Australian, Maniot, Pontic, Tsakonian, Yevanic)
- Greek Sign Language
- History (Mycenaean Greek, Ancient Greek, Koine Greek, Medieval Greek, Modern Greek)
- Literature (Ancient, Medieval, Modern)
- Minority Languages (Albanian language (Arvanitika), Aromanian, Balkan Romani, Bulgarian, Ladino, Macedonian, Turkish)
- Place names and exonyms
- Proverbs
- Words for love
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Media | |
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Music |
- Church music
- Dances (Ai Georgis, Angaliastos, Antikristos, Ballos, Dionysiakos, Fisounis, Gaitanaki, Geranos, Hasapiko, Ikariotikos, Kalamatianos, Kangeli, Kastorianos, Kerkiraikos, Kleistos, Koftos, Pidikhtos, Leventikos, Maniatikos, Metsovitikos, Ntames, Palamakia, Partalos, Pentozali, Proskinitos, Pyrrhichios, Rougatsiarikos, Sirtaki, Sousta, Syrtos, Trata, Tsakonikos, Tsamikos, Zeibekiko, Zervos)
- Éntekhno
- Folk music (Cretan, Epirote, Heptanesian, Macedonian, Nisiotika, Peloponnesian, Pontic, Thessalian, Thracian)
- Hip Hop
- Ionian School
- Laïko (Skyladiko)
- Musical instruments (Askomandoura, Aulos, Bouzouki, Byzantine lyra (Cretan, Macedonian, Politiki, Pontic), Crotala, Floghera, Gaida, Harp, Laouto, Lyre, Organo, Pan flute, Phorminx, Psaltery, Salpinx, Santouri, Souravli, Tambouras, Tambourine, Trigono, Tsampouna, Tympano, Zilia)
- Rebetiko
- Rock (Punk)
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Religion and lore |
- Ancient religion (Origins, Modern Revival)
- Aerico
- Buddhism
- Catholicism
- Drosoulites
- Eastern Orthodox Church (Timeline: Antiquity, Early Middle Ages, Late Middle Ages, Early Modern Era, 19th century, Early 20th century, Late 20th century, Contemporary)
- Fairy tales
- Gello
- Greek Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Church of Greece, Flag)
- Greek Old Calendarists
- Hinduism
- Hypertimos
- Islam
- Judaism (History)
- Kallikantzaros
- Lamia
- Mormo
- Mount Athos
- Mythology (Primordial deities, Titans, Twelve Olympians, Heracles, Odysseus, Jason, Oedipus, Perseus, Daedalus, Orpheus, Theseus, Bellerephon, Satyr, Centaur)
- Nymph
- Protestantism
- Psychai
- Sikhism
- Thymiaterion
- Name days
- Vrykolakas
- Wayside shrine
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Sport | |
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Symbols | |
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Governing bodies | | |
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Branches | |
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Equipment |
- Hellenic Navy
- Hellenic Army
- Hellenic Air Force
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Academies and schools | Officer academies | |
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NCO academies |
- Hellenic Army Non-Commissioned Officers Academy
- Hellenic Navy Petty Οfficers Academy
- Hellenic Air Force Administrative Non-Commissioned Officers Academy
- Hellenic Air Force Radio Navigators Academy
- Hellenic Air Force Technical Non-Commissioned Officers Academy
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Staff academies |
- Hellenic National Defence College (HNDC)
- Hellenic Supreme Joint War College (HSJWC)
- Hellenic Army War College (HAWC)
- Hellenic Naval War College (HNWC)
- Hellenic Air Force War College (HAFWC)
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Related | |
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Other | |
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Leadership | |
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Structure | |
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Policies | |
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Equipment | |
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Decorations | |
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Related | |
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