Marder and M-1117 Guardian will essentially be the first motorized units that will be a barrier to any attempt to seize territory on the islands of the Archipelago.
After Evros, where the first M-1117s are already patrolling the land borders of the country, the islands of the Eastern Aegean take their turn. ASDEN Units have already started receiving wheeled reconnaissance vehicles from the 174 Guardians which had arrived in Greece in the Spring. In the next period it is expected that the greater number of TTOA-ASVM-1117 from the additional 180 that arrived last week in Thessaloniki will also be forwarded to the islands. While within 2022 and also in 2023, new batches are expected from the total of 1200 Guardians which the USA grants to Greece through the excess defense material EDA (Excess Defense Arti les).
Both the versatility and enhanced armor of the M-1117 Guardian make them valuable to our critical island Units. They give speed to reconnaissance forces with simultaneous firepower, while their limited volume is considered ideal for the narrow roads of our islands and their special morphology. Especially for smaller islands with limited routes, the first impressions from the use of the Guardians are reportedly more than encouraging and show that their acquisition offers significant advantages in terms of deterrent power.
At the same time, the plan to exchange the BMP-1 armored vehicles with the German Marder, as agreed last month by the defense ministries of the two states, is being implemented. Nikos Panagiotopoulos during the NATO Defense Summit stated that the procedures will start in July while the issue was once again on the table during his meeting with his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht.
Within the next few days, a group of GES Executives is expected to travel to Germany in order to undergo an X-ray of the Marders, which are intended to replace the BMP-1s. The experienced Greek officers will thoroughly check the armored vehicles in order to give the “green light” to be transported to Greece as soon as possible. The procedure will be similar for the BMP-1s, which are estimated at around 180, with the Greek authorities categorically stressing that for every BMP-1 that leaves our country, its place will already be taken by a Marder.
The vast majority of the BMP-1s that will be replaced by the Marder belong to the ASDEN Units, while a small number are in warehouses and camps inland. As Army Staff emphatically emphasize, the characteristics of the Marder increase the operational capabilities of the Units compared to the BMP-1. Since the reinforced armor, the speed that reaches 65 km and the autonomy of 520 km are important advantages. That is, they will be able to quickly rush to critical areas to effectively deal with enemy bridgeheads and air bridgeheads. And to support both infantry and heavy armored forces.
Marder and M-1117 Guardian will essentially be the first motorized units that will be a barrier to any attempt to seize territory on the islands of the Archipelago.
