Greece has officially taken delivery of its first FDI (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention) frigate, the HS Kimon (F601), from French shipbuilder Naval Group, marking a major milestone in the Hellenic Navy’s fleet modernization program. The handover ceremony was held in Lorient, France, after which the vessel will sail to Brest for installation of its full weapons suite before departing for Greece.
Following weapons integration and sea trials, HS Kimon is expected to arrive at Salamina Naval Base near Athens by January 2026. The frigate was initially delivered in the Standard 1 configuration and will undergo incremental capability upgrades, reaching the advanced Standard 2++ configuration by 2029, significantly enhancing its combat and sensor capabilities.
Naval Group is scheduled to deliver two additional FDI frigates, Nearhos (F602) and Formion (F603), to Greece by 2026. Athens has also placed an order for a fourth frigate, Themistocles (F600), in November, with delivery planned for 2028. Greece became the first export customer of the FDI program, which is led by France.
Also known internationally as the Belharra-class and designated the Kimon-class in Greek service, the 122-meter frigates are designed for air defense, anti-submarine warfare, surface combat, and asymmetric operations. Naval Group will support the vessels through a long-term in-service support contract, while also studying the future integration of unmanned systems and drones aboard Greek warships.
