Naval Group Launches Greece’s First FDI HN Class Frigate HS Kimon
Naval Group, France’s leading shipbuilding company, has launched Greece’s first FDI HN (Belharra) class frigate. The ship, designated HS Kimon (F601), was launched in the presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu and Greek Minister of National Defense Nikolaos Dendias at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard. The President of the French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) and his Greek counterpart, as well as the Chiefs of Staff of the French and Greek Naval Forces, also attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Naval Group CEO Pierre Pommellet said:
“Greece has honoured Naval Group by choosing the FDI vessels to renew its combat fleet for the Hellenic Navy. This launching is another important step in our strong cooperation with Greece, as it marks the symbolic birth of the HS KIMON frigate for her first contact with the sea. It is also a concrete illustration of Naval Group’s commitment to supporting a robust industrial cooperation with the Hellenic industry, growing stronger every day. Naval Group is proud to be moving forward together with all of its French and Greek partners, on this great FDI adventure.”
In his speech, Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Dendias stated that the launch of the HS Kimon is not only a significant event for Greece, but an important turning point in the strategic partnership between Greece and France. The defense minister stated that the purchase of the Kimon frigate is a source of great pride for the Navy, Armed Forces officers, and all Greek men and women, and that this ship is an important symbol in the continuation of Greece’s 2.5-thousand-year-old naval power tradition. Finally, Dendias emphasized that “this new and state-of-the-art ship” will strengthen the country’s defense.
The HS Kimon is the first of three FDI HN frigates built by the main contractor of Naval Group under the terms of a 2.26-billion-euro ($2.53 billion) agreement signed by Greece and France in March 2022. The first pre-outfitted block of the second unit HS Nearchos has just been moved into dry dock for the keel laying, while the initial steel-cutting of the third HS Formion frigate took place on July 12th, 2023. The first sea-going of HS Kimon is scheduled for 2024, followed by delivery in 2025. The other two ships in the project, HS Nearchos and HS Formion, are scheduled to be delivered to Greece in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
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.