Greece has taken delivery of its first defense and intervention (FDI) frigate from Naval Group: the HS Kimon (F601).
After the handover ceremony in Lorient, the frigate will sail to Brest in France to undergo weapons system installation. It is expected to dock at the Salamina Naval Base near Athens by January 2026, Euronews reported.
The Kimon initially came with the Standard 1 configuration, but it is set to receive incremental upgrades up to Standard 2++ by 2029, according to Naval News.
Naval Group is scheduled to deliver two more Greek FDIs, named Nearhos (F602) and Formion (F603), by 2026. Athens placed an additional order for a fourth FDI frigate, Themistocles (F600), in November, slated to be delivered by 2028.
“The delivery of the first FDI for the Hellenic Navy, HS Kimon, represents a major milestone in our cooperation with Greece,” said Naval Group Chairman and CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet.
“We are honored to put our expertise at the service of the Hellenic Navy’s sovereignty and naval superiority through the FDI frigates, which offer very high-level capabilities in all areas of combat.”
Franco-Greek Cooperation
France is the originator and lead nation of the FDI program, with Greece joining as its first export customer.
Launched in 2022, Greece’s FDI program is known internationally as the Belharra-class and designated the Kimon-class within the Hellenic Navy.
The frigates comprise 122-meter (400-foot) vessels designed for anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and asymmetric operations, and are expected to replace the navy’s aging Elli-class frigate.
The French defense contractor delivered HS Kimon to Athens around two months after handing over the French Navy’s first FDI in October.
Following Kimon’s arrival, the Hellenic Navy awarded Naval Group the initial contract for in-service support, with maintenance and future upgrades to be carried out jointly by the French contractor, its Greek subsidiary Naval Group Hellas, and local industry partners.
Meanwhile, Naval Group is also exploring the potential integration of drones on Greek warships, including FDI frigates and Gowind corvettes.
