Greece is drawing international attention with Centauros, a cost-effective anti-drone system that has already proven itself in combat operations against Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea.
State-owned Hellenic Aircraft Industry, also known as EAV, developed the technology to neutralize drones by jamming their communication and navigation signals rather than destroying them with costly missile interceptors. As a result, Centauros is emerging as a lower-cost alternative to a growing and increasingly expensive battlefield threat.
Kyriakos Enotiadis, director of EAV’s electronics sector, described Centauros as a battle-tested platform that provides a less pricey alternative to traditional air defense responses.
Greece’s anti-drone system focuses on disruption
Centauros works by detecting and disrupting the radio signals used by drones at long range, giving operators valuable time to react before a threat makes it to its target.
Enotiadis said the system can identify the radio waves of a UAV from quite long distances, making it easier and faster to stop the aircraft with no need to consume ammunition. In practice, this allows forces to respond to drone threats without relying solely on expensive missiles or gun-based intercepts.
Its biggest advantage is cost. Because the system runs on electricity, each engagement costs far less than a standard missile-based response.
Anti-drone system range and deployment options in Greece
Centauros has a range of 15 to 25 miles and can engage multiple targets at the same time. According to Enotiadis, such capability creates a broad protective umbrella with no meaningful limit on the number of drones the system can attempt to neutralize within its coverage area.
The platform also offers flexible deployment options. Operators can install it at fixed infrastructure sites, mount it on vehicles for mobile missions, or integrate it into naval platforms. Although engineers initially designed it as an onboard system, they quickly adapted it for maritime use and integrated it into frigates.
Combat use during operation Aspides
Centauros gained operational credibility in July 2024, when the Greek frigate Psara used it during EU Operation Aspides in the Gulf of Aden to counter Houthi drone attacks. During the mission, the ship engaged four drones, shot down two, and forced the other two to withdraw. According to Enotiadis, the Centauros system alone achieved some of those interceptions.
This also underscored the financial logic behind electronic warfare systems. Enotiadis noted that similar operations elsewhere have consumed hundreds of millions to intercept low-cost drones, while a power-based system such as Centauros offers a far more sustainable response model.
Greece’s anti-drone system as part of a broader defense push
EAV says development of the system is continuing because drone technology evolves rapidly, with major changes appearing roughly every six months. This means the company must constantly upgrade the platform to keep it applicable for real combat conditions.
Centauros is part of a broader electronic warfare effort that also includes programs such as Hyperion and Telemachus. The system costs about €2 million ($2.3 million) per unit, significantly less than standard missile-based air defense systems.
More broadly, its rollout fits into Greece’s wider defense modernization plans. The country is investing €800 million ($934 million) in defense innovation over the next decade as part of a broader €30 billion ($35 billion) military modernization program running through 2036.