Hellenic Navy Receives Its First FDI Frigate Built by Naval Group

The Hellenic Navy has received the first of four Defense and Intervention Frigates (FDI HN) built by Naval Group. Naval News was on site to cover this landmark event, significant not only for Greece and the Hellenic Navy but also for France, as Greece becomes the second operator of the FDI design. We bring you exclusive coverage, including interviews and firsthand material from the ceremony.

On December 18, 2025, in Lorient, France, Naval Group delivered HS Kimon (F601), the first Defense and Intervention Frigate (FDI HN) for the Hellenic Navy. The ceremony was attended by Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias and French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin. Also present were the Deputy Minister of National Defence; Members of Parliament; senior leadership of the Hellenic Armed Forces; former Ministers of Defence, retired generals and admirals; and donors to the Armed Forces, including the ship’s sponsor, Rear Admiral (h.c.) Panos Laskaridis. Diplomatic and industry representatives included the Greek Ambassador to France, the Ambassador of the French Republic to Greece, Naval Group Chairman & CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet, representatives of foreign diplomatic and military delegations, officials from Greek defense industries, and other distinguished guests.

This first delivery to Greece comes two months after the delivery of the first FDI to the French Navy. This delivery represents a major milestone for Naval Group, which is scheduled to deliver three additional FDI HN frigates to Greece; two in 2026 and one in 2028. The four 122-meter multi-mission frigates form the Kimon class, named after renowned Greek admirals Kimon, Nearhos, Formion and Themistocles.

Hellenic Navy Receives Its First FDI Frigate Built by Naval Group — Frigate HS Kimon at Lorient, France, some minutes before the delivering ceremony.

The Greek frigates will undergo a series of incremental upgrades through 2030, progressively transitioning from the Standard 1 configuration which is equivalent to the French Navy’s FDI baseline, to Standard 2, Standard 2+, and ultimately Standard 2++. The final Standard 2++ configuration will feature the integration of additional weapon systems, including 16 ASTER 30 SAM, a 21-round RAM Block 2B SAM launcher, and SYLENA Mk2 AAW DLS, along with major software and systems upgrades to SETIS CMS, sensors, and other electronics as well as the full integration of CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS and enhanced weapon-system integration across the platform.

After this period, the possibility of installing cruise missiles on the last three ships of the class will be examined, through the replacement of one 8-cell SYLVER A50 launcher module with a SYLVER A70 module. Additionally, separately from the “+” upgrades, the installation of HAI’s C-UAS system CENTAUR is planned along with an advanced R-ECM system, product of Thales and ELT Group. These enhancements will deliver capabilities significantly superior to the Standard 1 configuration. The timeline and the costs for the FDI HN program is outlined in the article Greece Commits to 4th FDI Frigate Procurement.

These next-generation warships, designed for high-intensity combat operations, will enable Greece to rapidly and sustainably enhance the operational capabilities of its surface fleet.

“The delivery of the first FDI for the Hellenic Navy, HS Kimon, represents a major milestone in our cooperation with Greece. 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.“

Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group

A first-rate frigate, the FDI has proven capabilities in all areas of combat (AAW, ASW, ASuW, AW). Scalable and versatile, it combines all the functions needed to manage, either independently or as part of a fleet, current and emerging threats such as latest-generation submarines, supersonic missiles, cyberattacks, and multifaceted asymmetric threats. Its compact layout and unique design, according to Naval Group, make it perfectly suited to different environments and rough seas around the world.

A New Era for the Hellenic Navy Begins

Kimon is expected to arrive in Greece between January 15 and 20, 2026, after receiving its missile load in Brest. Missile equipment tests will take place in Greece once the crew has been fully familiarized with the ship. The acquisition of the new FDI HN frigates marks a milestone as after about three decades, since the last of the four Hydra-class (MEKO 200HN) frigates entered service, Greece will finally acquire modern main surface combatants, ushering the Hellenic Navy into a new era.

Furthermore, it has been about two decades since the decommissioning of the last of the four former United States Navy C.F. Adams-class destroyers, armed with 40km-range SM-1 SAM, the only ships that could provide a large defensive umbrella over a fleet operating in hostile areas. At present, the Hellenic Navy operates ESSM and NSSM SAM but does not possess APAR or SPY/AEGIS systems, which restricts the full utilization of ESSM’s engagement range.

In the joint statements that followed, the Greek Minister of National Defence noted:

I believe we are witnessing a clear demonstration of the close relationship between Greece and France, of our Strategic Partnership and of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, an agreement of which I am particularly proud, as it bears my signature. This is not merely the delivery of an exceptional naval vessel to the Hellenic Republic. It is a day that marks the beginning of a new era. The Belharra frigate, now ‘Kimon’ for us, symbolizes precisely the entry of the Hellenic Armed Forces, under the framework of the ‘Agenda 2030’, into this new era.

Nikos Dendias, Defense Minister of Greece

He also added he thanks the French Government and Naval Group for their cooperation and for the outstanding result “..we see here today. Although the weather is very bad, it is the exact opposite of Greek–French relations, which are exceptionally warm and basking in sunshine.“

In his address, Minister Dendias stated:

“It is a great honor to be here today in Lorient, at the Naval Group shipyards, on the occasion of a particularly symbolic moment: the hoisting of the Greek flag on the defense and intervention frigate Kimon, the first FDI destined for the Hellenic Navy. Kimon returns to the Mediterranean 2,500 years later, precisely to symbolize Greece’s strength today. The induction of Kimon, together with the remaining three frigates, four ships of this class in total, into our Navy will create the strongest naval force Hellenism has ever possessed. For me personally, this is a day of great joy. I am delivering to the Hellenic Navy a platform of exceptional power. With the additional capabilities that we have already agreed to incorporate, Kimon and the other three ships will remain the best ships of their class globally for a long time to come.“

Nikos Dendias, Defense Minister of Greece

The Chief of the Hellenic Navy stated that the frigate has been named Kimon in honor of the historic Athenian leader who shaped naval power as a means of deterrence and strategic influence, thereby paying tribute to a legacy of bravery that has defined Greek seamanship for millennia.

Panos Laskaridis pointed out that, “the four ships will undertake a mission that is none other than the one we Greeks have exercised and carried out for thousands of years, that is, the defense of our sovereignty in the Aegean and surrounding seas.”

The speeches were followed by the frigate’s naming ceremony, with Rear Admiral (h.c.) Panos Laskaridis serving as the ship’s sponsor, the hoisting of the Hellenic flag, the embarkation of the ship’s crew, and the raising of the commissioning pennant.