On Wednesday 22 October 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, accompanied by the Chief/HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, visited the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory, in Acharnes.
During his visit, Mr Dendias took a tour of the premises of the development laboratories and the operational practice simulators of the Drones Production Factory, where he was informed by the Commanding General of the Supreme Army Support Military Command, Major General Antonios Theodosiadis, on the mission of the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory, as well as the technological researches and the method of interconnection with the Innovation Directorate, the Centre of Research, Technological Development and Innovation and the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation.
After the briefing, the Minister of National Defence stated:
“I am extremely happy to be here today, at the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory, a basic pillar of support of the Armed Forces of our Country.
Around us, in this place, there is something literally unprecedented for our Country. With the initiative of the Hellenic Army General Staff, an important step is implemented; I dare say a leap, in the transition of the Armed Forces of our Country to the new era.
Here, we have a production factory of unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, category I and First Person View (FPV), but also bigger drones category I, and we have also developed two prototype mobile stations of drones production, which will be presented for the first time in the 28 October parade in Thessaloniki. They are constructed to follow our big units. That is, to be able to produce FPV drones on the field.
We have already developed here, in this factory, the potential of producing more than 1,000 drones per year. This happened in a very short amount of time, in cooperation with the Innovation Directorate, the Centre of Research, Technological Development and Innovation of the Armed Forces and the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation.
It is a new perception, which not only saves resources, but it changes the attitude of buying products of advanced technology from the “shelf”.
I would also like to point out that here not only the drones are produced, but also the drones’ software is produced and developed.
This factory is the living proof of the transition of the Armed Forces of our Country to the new era; the real tangible implementation of the “Agenda 2030”.
At this point I feel obliged to congratulate the Chief/HAGS and also all the members who are present and work here.
Greece is present in the 21st century and with quick paces.
I would like to say that we will continue this transition, because our country is a threatened country.
The hope to be able to deter threats through time is to develop our own Hellenic capabilities.
Hellenic capabilities, Hellenic minds, Hellenic hands, Hellenic Armed Forces”.
The Minister of National Defence, receiving from the Commander of the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory Colonel (Tech) Efstathios Botsis, a commemorative gift for his visit, displaying a quadcopter drone constructed by the factory, stated:
“I politely ask the Prime Minister of the country to come and see what we are building here. I think he too will feel very proud of what has been achieved in a very short amount of time, in a matter of months, by you and your colleagues, the members of the Armed Forces. I really thank you and I will keep this. It is an indication of a leap. It is not just a proof of a construction. Thank you very much”.
It is pointed out that the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory, a few months ago, had the additional mission of maintaining civilian type drones. With HAGS initiative, this Department has been upgraded and became a line of development, software production, drones, drones flight simulators and their maintenance as well.
In particular, it can produce quadcopter drones, as well as fixed-wing drones. These drones are able to undertake surveillance and observation missions, cargo-dropping missions and “kamikaze” missions.
In addition, HAGS has two mobile units, in which all of the above works are performed near the operations fields.
Finally, the 306 Telecommunications Base Factory has contributed to the upgrade of M1117, which will participate in the 28 October parade in Thessaloniki, since it has installed on the vehicle an electrical-optical sensor and drone, which cooperates with the vehicle in reconnaissance and surveillance missions.
