SOURCE: AFI
Emmanuel Marios Economou and Nikos K. Kyriazis, academics from the University of Thessaly in Greece, have sparked debate with their recent proposal. They advocate for Greece to acquire the BrahMos cruise missile system, developed jointly by India and Russia, for deployment in the Eastern Aegean islands.
The proposal centers on deterring Turkish ambitions in the Aegean Sea. The article, while not explicitly mentioning Turkey’s claims on the islands, highlights the potential of BrahMos to create a “denial and prohibition of maritime access” for the Turkish navy. The authors see this as a way to counter Turkish expansionist policies like the “Blue Homeland” doctrine and a disputed maritime agreement with Libya.
Economou and Kyriazis argue that BrahMos offers a cost-effective solution compared to traditional naval vessels. They estimate a single BrahMos missile costs around $3.5 million, and a package of 150 missiles with launchers and radars would be significantly cheaper than acquiring large warships vulnerable to these missiles. This strategy, they claim, would be a “game changer” in the Aegean, Crete, and Cyprus region.
Economou and Kyriazis hail the BrahMos as a potential “nightmare” for the Turkish navy, capable of disrupting their expansionist ambitions outlined in the “Blue Homeland” doctrine. They also criticize the Turkey-Libya maritime delimitation agreement as lacking legal basis.
While the proposal has generated significant discussion in Greece, it remains to be seen if the government will actively pursue BrahMos acquisition. The feasibility of such a large-scale purchase and the potential impact on already strained Greek-Turkish relations are factors that will undoubtedly influence the decision-making process.