On 14 November, Major General Ioannis Bouras, Director General of the Hellenic General Directorate of Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA), and Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, signed a contract for the construction of an additional Defence and Intervention Frigate (FDI) for the Hellenic Navy. The agreement extends the FDI HN programme signed in March 2022, which covers the procurement of three FDI frigates valued at 2.26 billion Euros.
The first three ships in the programme, HS Kimon, HS Nearchos and HS Formion, are currently at different stages of construction. The lead ship is scheduled for delivery to the Hellenic Navy at the end of 2025, while the remaining two vessels are expected to follow in 2026 and 2027.
“We are
very honoured by Greece’s order for this fourth FDI frigate. With the first
three already at an advanced stage of production, this order is a mark of
confidence and confirmation of the Hellenic Navy’s satisfaction with these
first-rank vessels. We will continue to deploy our expertise in the service of
the Hellenic Navy’s sovereignty and naval superiority,” said Pierre Eric
Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group.
These FDI HN frigates, also known as the Belharra class, are medium-sized warships designed for a variety of missions such as anti-submarine warfare, air defense, surface warfare, maritime patrol, and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) protection. These frigates, which are of the Tumblehome design type, are 112 meters long and 17.7 meters wide. These 4,500-ton ships can reach a top speed of 27 knots. These frigates, which can accommodate a crew of 125 personnel, can also accommodate helicopters and rotary wing drones weighing 11 tons, thanks to the hangar and flight deck at the stern.
The weapons of the FDI HN include 32 Aster missiles, 8 Exocet MM40 B3C missiles and MU 90 torpedoes, a 76mm gun, 4 torpedo tubes, and CANTO countermeasures. These frigates also have cutting-edge sensors, such as Thales Sea Fire, a completely digital multifunction radar with active antenna and fixed panels.