The war of drones: Will Greek UAVs fly or are we throwing away millions?

 

• Programs that have been advanced just sit on the shelf while at the same time, grandiose plans are announced without any guarantee that they can be completed.

• The “dismissal” of an HAI executive who claimed that the UAV ARCHYTAS “will not fly”.

• The Navy has already tested in large exercises Greek UAV that flies but unknown why we do not put it in industrial production.

• In the unclaimed also the anti-drone system TELEMACHUS

• How far ahead is Turkey with Bayraktar.

  by Paris Karvounopoulos

Announcements, photographs in a festive atmosphere, and many reports of grandiose plans to build Greek drones with capabilities that are among the American and Israeli UAVs raise many questions about what exactly is going on. Are we so far advanced or is this just another “communication bubble” that creates dangerous illusions to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities?

Data Journalists investigated the issue, spoke with experts, and presented the answers. The bottom line is that something is wrong and it is urgent to fix it.

The “Turkish danger” triggered the “arms reflexes” of the government, which at every opportunity promotes the “rearmament program of the country”. Among the costly large markets such as Rafale fighter jets and Belharra frigates, the need to design and produce unmanned aircraft arose. Turkey has come a long way in this area for years and the Bayraktar it manufactures is already exported to many countries.

Question put to Greek Parliament

What is happening in Greece to meet the need to use unmanned aircraft and drones (drones and UAVs) raises questions that seek answers. Questions that have reached the House.

PASOK-KINAL, with a question from its MPs, asks the Finance and National Defence Ministers for an explanation of what has been announced regarding the “national UAVs”. PASOK-KINAL has raised six specific questions…

The research

Αs far as the dithyrambic announcements are concerned from the development of the programs that cost the Greek taxpayers millions? The  Data Journalists team has been investigating the issue of “national UAVs” for some time. The experts who spoke during the investigation are revealing.

A UAV that already exists and could be put on a production line has been set aside and other solutions that are still in the works are being considered. Even more paradoxical is that before we see the course of these designs we hear announcements for an agreement on the design and construction of new UAVs. What exactly is happening?

In September 2021, the implementation of the ARCHYTAS program began. A plan that had been under discussion since 2019 to design and build a non-military UAV. Along the way, the targeting changed and it was decided to consider the possibility of military use. The project was undertaken by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Democritus University of Thrace, and the University of Thessaly in collaboration with HAI, which is the only company that has the ability to carry out the industrial construction of such a product.

The paradox is that in all this the Ministry of National Defence has no substantial role. The whole project is coordinated by the Ministry of Finance, which has made occasional formal announcements.

“HAI in the sidekick role”

Babis Papaspyros was Vice President of the Hellenic Defence Industry from 2015 to 2019. Mr. Papaspyros was a Brigadier Engineer and therefore is absolutely relevant to the subject. What he describes speaking to Data Journalists is revealing.

The planning started early and it seemed that ΗΑΙ would have an extra role in the effort. This is the first paradox of the “Greek UAV” hypothesis. Who will take over the industrial production of the UAV if we get to that point?

The “Archytas” program was launched on the initiative of the Working Group appointed by the Minister of Finance Mr. Ch. Staikouras, for the promotion of Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation in the Greek Aviation Industry (HAI SA) (Government Gazette 3232/4Aug.2020), which was defined thereafter with the following members:

1. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos, Professor of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), as Coordinator. (*)
2. Konstantinos Tsamadias, Professor Emeritus of the Harokopio University of Athens, as a member.
3. Konstantinos Magoulas, Professor of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), as a member.
4. Georgios Stamoulis, Professor at the University of Thessaly, as a member.
5. Christos Christodoulou, acting secretary of the working group,

In February 2021, due to disagreements with the rest of the Working Group, Professor K. Kyriakopoulos (of the NTUA together with a colleague of the NTUA who had proposed this program and its name as “Archytas”) left and the program now proceeded to involve the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Professor Kyros Hyakinthos), the University of Thessaloniki, and the University of Thessaly.

In March 2022, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras stated: “The progress of the works is consistent with the agreed timetable…the small delays observed in some of the works during the second quarter are expected to be covered in the third quarter, which ends at the end of May” (no other details were given on what the delays were and which body they concern).

The dismissal of the Director of the Directorate of Studies

Only in July 2022 an out-of-court hearing of HAI employees is extremely revealing. The extrajudicial hearing referred to the dismissal of the Director of the Directorate of Studies Mr. Triantafyllos Tsitinidis and noted the following:

“In practice, you removed Mr. Tsitinidis, making him responsible only for engineering, and removed his responsibilities regarding new products-programs, causing with your decision, a unilateral harmful change in his working conditions. In fact, the unilateral change was made in my estimation of the events that have intervened, vengefully.

Because Mr. Tsitinidis as the competent Director of the whole and single activity, for a number of years, expressed for over a year some objections and suggestions to the management of the company regarding some new programs that were somehow imposed on HAI by a consultant of the Ministry of Finance (see ARCHYTAS, STELTH, GRIPAS), in order to improve the programs and not to interrupt them. The reason why you excluded him from the program ARCHYTAS, is as you did not want any interaction, objection, or suggestion.

That is, when the consultants said that the new ARCHYTAS project would be operational and capable of flying, he claimed that it would not fly, with the parameters that had been made known to him for the program, and in addition, because the program does not involve an aeronautical engineer and did not take into account parameters of industrialization and functionality of the product. And indeed, unfortunately, Archytas is still in the plans. His objections and suggestions were aimed at upgrading the program to make it functional and useful. However, his design and construction suggestions were rejected and he was marginalized, then, only in relation to ARCHYTAS. Now you’re institutionalizing its marginalization…

At the same time, he made, as he should, in his position and role as director of studies and construction, some suggestions in writing for the improvement of these programs, but also for other development programs that could take off the Study-Design-Development capabilities as well as the revenues and the international image of the company (e.g. cooperation with European Airbus Defence & Space for the participation of Greece / HAI in the new Average Tactical Transport Aircraft (FMTC), the Future European Fighter 6th Generation FCAS, the European New Generation Helicopter (NGRC), the modern unmanned aircraft (UASSirtap), the utilization of the Composite Materials factory, etc. His suggestions were ignored. You must take into account the notes of those responsible in order to achieve our goals and programs. We’re together, not against each other. As employees, we love and honor the Greek Defense Industry. It is our home, our family, and our way of offering and defending our country. On the contrary, administrations are transient, depending on the choice of each government… Your decision also, in my opinion, is a clear warning to Mr. Tsitinidis not to “resist” the will of the political bosses and their unsubstantiated “want”, and to comply with the suggestions, without creative criticism and comments on the events of the administration, for the benefit of the production and the reputation of our company, and to avoid the occurrence of risks of failure of our company’s programs, which will cost us both in fame and in money, but also the inability to serve our country, in the difficult conjuncture that is with unprovoked aggression on the part of neighbors.”

According to what has been officially published regarding the UAV ARCHYTAS, by the end of February 2023 the molds should have been manufactured. In HAI, however, there are no molds. According to what has been published in the first quarter of 2023, the prototype air vehicle would have been built to begin test flights, audits, certifications, costing of alternative vehicle types, and the assumption by HAI of orders for the construction of air vehicles by users. What has happened to all this?

However, in early 2023, the Ministry of Finance in an open event announced the implementation of a new UAV program, called “Gripas”. The Finance Minister recalled that “more than two years ago, the Ministry of Finance set the goal that the wider public sector will become a designer and producer of multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) systems. To achieve this goal, we have begun an effort to establish cooperation between the Ministry of Finance, the supervised Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI), the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Democritus University of Thrace, and the University of Thessaly.

The University of Patras was added to the GRIPAS program. The reasonable question that arises is by what criteria the ARCHYTAS program is already considered successful when we have not even seen the original UAV flying.

Questions for the HAI…

Data Journalists addressed HAI asking questions about the ARCHYTAS program, its successful course during the government and HAI, and the announcement of a second drone program.

The questions we asked:

On February 6, an HAI announcement said that at its premises “the Kick-off Meeting of the Gripas Program concerning the design and industrial production of a second, more complex unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) took place.

The meeting for this new program, which utilizes the consistent course of work and the know-how acquired by the “Archytas” Program, was attended by the scientific leaders and their associates from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Patras, the Democritus University of Thrace and the University of Thessaly, as well as the competent executives of HAI. The meeting was a great success and created positive expectations for the timely and successful completion of the project.”

The questions we want to ask are the following:

1. According to the schedule that has been announced, will the prototype of ARCHYTAS be ready at the end of February?
2. When will the flight tests of ARCHYTAS begin?
3. On the basis of which criteria, it was assessed that the progress in the ARCHYTAS program allows the funding of a second GRIPAS program.
4. How much money has been invested so far by the Ministry of Finance and HAI?
5. What about the participation of HAI in the European neuron program?”

…and the answers that were not given

The answer we received from the HAI press office is not so enlightening:

“The Hellenic Aerospace Industry Press Office is subject to specific restrictions designed to protect confidentiality requirements, which may be impaired by access to certain information as you have requested.

The assessment of the nature of such information requires the need to preserve the confidentiality of certain information and the legitimate interests that prohibit its publication. Confidential information, therefore, deserves special protection and for any confidential information HAI is obliged to confidentiality and can not channel it to the press.”

What Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said

HAI may invoke secrecy to say nothing about the course of the ARCHYTAS program, which was supposed to have judged the start of GRIPAS, but the official statements of Finance Minister Christos Staikouras are quite revealing.

Mr. Staikouras updates every quarter on the progress of drone programs, which paradoxically are under the “responsibility” of the Ministry of Finance and not the Ministry of National Defence.

What Mr. Staikouras has said on December 21, 2022, about ARCHYTAS:

During the three-month period to date, with funding from the Ministry of Finance, the “Archytas” program has been structured. The program aims at the design and industrial production of a multi-purpose and types unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. The implementation of the “Archytas” program began on September 1, 2021. According to the quarterly report of those responsible, this national effort is evolving with almost complete consistency with programming.

Specifically, last quarter, successfully conducted test flights of the scaled aerial vehicle, both in a conventional way, as well as in the vertical way of landing-take-off, and thus its final, detailed design is nearing completion.

At the same time, in the HAI:

1. Supplies of necessary materials and devices continue.
2. The establishment of the special area and the industrial production line is proceeding.
3. The manufacture of the designed molds begins. In the quarter that began (until the end of February 2023), their construction will be completed towards the end of the construction of the prototype vehicle.

On March 12, 2023, Mr. Staikouras stated:

“In the last three months:

1. The tests of the scale model by the competent executives of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki were successfully completed.
2. The Critical Design Review (CDR) was held, which certified the completion of the Design.
3. The construction of the special area for the production of both prototypes and the industrial production line was completed by HAI.
4. HAI has received a significant percentage of the required materials and devices, while others are expected since they are delayed due to disruptions in the supply chains.
5. HAI tested a small part of the required molds, in order to confirm their design”.

The program ARCHYTAS does not seem to have made much progress and certainly not enough to justify the launch of a second program of the GRIPAS. A simple reading of the Finance Minister’s statements proves this.

Nikos Kapiris: “There was no aeronautical engineer involved”

The harshest criticism of the ARCHYTAS program has been made by the president of the HAI employees, Nikos Kapiris. Mr. Kapiris spoke of a “feast” and the advisor and uncle of Finance Minister Christos Staikouras sued him. But what Mr. Kapiris says about the ARCHYTAS program will have to be answered. As he tells the Data Journalists, the ARCHYTAS program, which is a flying instrument, did not involve an aeronautical engineer.

The amounts that have been heard about the programs are up to EUR 5 million, but as sources who have dealt with the issue estimate, it is very likely that if the programs continue, we will reach 15 and possibly 20 million.

An HAI study predicted and estimated that it would take 7 million (5 million for R&D and 2 million for Materials & Equipment) and 3.5 years to develop a reliable UAV. Finally, the cooperation of HAI with the three Universities (ARCHYTAS) that in GRIPAS became four universities (University of Patras) was chosen, but so far HAI has not been involved and used as much as it should and as much as it could.

Funding and exclusion of the NTUA

Among other things, some questions that arise from discussions with experts:

• How and by what procedure were the three and then four universities selected by the Ministry of Finance for cooperation with HAI? Why was NTUA excluded?
• Why did HAI not take over the main role and coordination of planning?
• Why is HAI not funded as the universities?
• Who will evaluate the work of each and pay the universities? The Ministry of Finance or HAI? Are there relevant contracts? What’s the plan?
• Why does the University of Patras participate in GRIPAS (while it does not participate in ARCHYTAS)? On the basis of which procedure and by which body was it selected?
• Why was the NTUA, which does not participate in any of the two programs, excluded, while at the start of ARCHYTAS (2019), it participated in the committee of the Ministry of Finance?
• What was the real objective of the workshop organized on 1/4/2022 in Lamia?
• Which body and by what criteria did ARCHYTAS (and GRIPAS) qualify as Classified?
• Are the military procedures of Privacy – facilities, personnel, control, etc. – observed by which bodies and on what issues?
• Which of the aforementioned universities have been accredited by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff for the handling and observance of Confidentiality? Are they eligible? Do they have valid certificates?
• What about national participation in the FCAS program (continuation of the nEUROn program)?

Babis Papaspyros: “If it’s ready, why don’t we use it?”

The culmination of the paradox, however, is that an unmanned aerial vehicle already exists, flies, and is also called ARCHYTAS. Mr. Papaspyros is trying to enlighten us:

What is the archetype that flies? It is a program run by the School of Naval Cadets in collaboration with individuals. The cost of the program was funny and cost hundreds of thousands of euros. The ARCHYTAS unmanned aerial vehicle of the Naval Academy was designed and built to patrol the Aegean and can be launched by frigates of the Navy and from islands. It can launch and take off and because of its size is almost invisible. Good or bad there is and has already flown in five major exercises of the Armed Forces. A reasonable question: if it is ready, why not use it?

Ioannis Koukos: “Reason should not be defeated…”

Professor Emeritus Ioannis Koukos spoke to Data Journalists about the ARCHYTAS that flies.

 

For those who do not know who ARCHYTAS was, let’s mention that he was a general of the city of Taranto and he was never defeated… The point is not to defeat the logic in all this effort that has been called “rearming the country”.

In the unclaimed also the anti-drone system TELEMACHUS

The “icing on the cake” of paradox is another case that concerns HAI and a “product” that it has developed, especially useful for the threats that the country has to face. It is the anti-drone TELEMACHUS system, which is unknown why it remains on the shelves. Mr. Babis Papaspyrou explains: