France’s Naval Group launched the second Greek frigate, Nearchos, from its shipyard in Lorient on Thursday.
This follows the successful launch of the first frigate, Kimon, exactly one year ago, marking the progress in Greece’s acquisition of three defense and intervention frigates (FDI) under a contract with the French defense company.
Greek Defense Minister, Nikos Dendias said that the addition of the frigate to the Hellenic Navy will “strengthen our presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, protecting, at the same time, the borders and the interests of the European Union.”
He added that Greece will always respect International Law. “We never question the legal rights of other countries in the region. Always respecting the rules of International Law and those provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Based on protecting our common European values. For the Europe of peace, democracy, human rights and individual freedoms. Values, the defense of which we hope all countries in the region will adopt.”
France’s Greek frigates
The Kimon-class frigates, designated as FDI HN (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention for the Hellenic Navy), are a new class of warships developed for Greece as part of its naval modernization efforts. These ships are based on the French FDI frigate design but have been tailored to meet the specific needs of the Hellenic Navy.
The Kimon-class frigates are built to excel in multiple combat roles, including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare, along with special forces operations.
They are equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced weapons and sensors, including MBDA’s Exocet MM40 B3C missiles for surface targets and Aster missiles for air defense. Their defensive systems include RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) systems and MU90 torpedoes for submarine threats. The frigates also feature a 76 mm main gun, four torpedo tubes, and electronic warfare capabilities.
The ships are designed to support a 10-ton helicopter and a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Construction of the Kimon-class frigates is underway, with the first ship, HS Kimon (F601), launched on October 4, 2023, at the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient, France.
This marked the first significant addition to Greece’s surface fleet in over two decades, underscoring the importance of the program. Following the launch of HS Kimon, which is expected to sail in Greek waters in 2025, and HS Nearchos on Thursday, the third vessel HS Formion (F603), is under construction, with commissioning expected between 2025 and 2026.
The frigates bear the names of Kimon (Κίμων), an admiral in Alexander the Great‘s army who gained fame for his valor in the naval Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, Nearchos (Νέαρχος), an admiral in the Athenian army before and during the Peloponnesian War, and Phormionas (Φορμίων), an admiral and commander of Athens.
The Kimon-class frigates are intended to replace older vessels, such as the Elli-class frigates. The new ships are well-equipped to handle contemporary maritime challenges in the strategically important Eastern Mediterranean region.
