Thessaloniki marks October 28 with military parade, drones and F-16 air display

Thousands of people lined Megas Alexandros Boulevard in Thessaloniki to watch the military parade marking October 28, a national holiday commemorating Greece’s resistance to fascist Italy.

Those in the official viewing stand included President Konstantinos Tasoulas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and other political and military figures. Infantry units and Armed Forces vehicles paraded along the boulevard, while demonstration flights took place overhead.

Alongside the traditional elements of the ceremony, this year’s parade showcased new equipment and technologies introduced by the Greek military. For the second consecutive year, the New Weapons Systems and Innovation Unit took part in the parade, displaying vehicles and applications aimed at modernizing the Armed Forces.

New surveillance systems, drones, remotely operated vehicles and technologies designed to improve detection, rapid response and defense were also presented.

A giant screen facing the official stand showed live footage from two drones: one followed the parade in Thessaloniki, while the other tracked a patrol in the Eastern Aegean. The footage highlighted the combination of military tradition and new technologies, which are increasingly being used in Armed Forces operations.

After the ceremony, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece was implementing the largest armaments program in the history of the Armed Forces, with the aim of strengthening the country’s deterrent capabilities.

The parade concluded with a spectacular air display: an F-16 from the “Zeus” team performed precise maneuvers over Thessaloniki. While flying over the city’s gulf, the pilot delivered the message: “One word changes history, and for the Greeks that word is ‘No.’”