Hellenic Armed Forces

The Hellenic Armed Forces (Eλληνικές Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις, Ellinikés Énoples Dynámis) are combined military forces of Greece. They consist of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy, and the Hellenic Air Force.

The civilian authority for the Greek military is the Ministry of National Defense.

Conscription, budget, international operations
Greece currently has universal compulsory military service for males, under which all men above 18 years of age serve for 9 months. Women may serve in the Greek military, but cannot be conscripted. According to NATO, in 2008, Greece spent 2.8 percent of G.D.P. on its military, or about €6.9 billion, or around $9.3 billion. Greece is the largest importer of conventional weapons in Europe and its military spending is the highest in the European Union (relative to G.D.P).

Greece is an EU and NATO member country and participates in peacekeeping operations such as ISAF in Afghanistan, EUFOR in Bosnia and Chad, and KFOR in Kosovo.

Hellenic National Defense General Staff
The Hellenic National Defense General Staff, carries out the operational commanding of the Joint Headquarters and the units that come under them, as well as the rest forces, when it comes to the issues of operation plans implementation and the Crises management System implementation, conduction of operations outside the national territory and participation of the Armed Forces in the confrontation of special situations during peace time.

Hellenic Army
The basic components of the Hellenic Army are Arms and Corps, the first responsible for combat missions and the latter for logistical support. It is organized in Commands, formations, and units with the basic being brigade, division and corps. Its main mission is to guarantee the territorial integrity and independence of the state.

Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy possesses a powerful fleet, consisted of strike units (Frigates, Gunboats, Submarines and Fast Attack Guided Missile Vessels) and support vessels in order to conduct naval operations that ensure the protection of Hellenic territories.

Hellenic Air Force
Hellenic Air Force incorporates a modern air fleet (for combat, transportation and training), the congruent structure, as well as a modern system of air control, which cooperates with a widespread net of anti aircraft defense. The structure of its forces includes the General Staff of Air Force, the Command Post of Regular Army, the Air Support Command, the Air Training Command and a number of units and services.