The Kimon class, also known as the FDI HN, is a frigate class for the Hellenic Navy. The FDI HN is a more heavily armed version of the French frigates. The lead ship is expected to be commissioned in early 2025.
History
In September 2021, Greece signed an agreement with France's Naval Group to purchase three FDI HN frigates with an option for one more for the Hellenic Navy as part of a €3 billion ($3.34 bn) defence package.[6][7][8]
It was reported that the Hellenic Navy ships would eventually carry a more extensive weapons fit, capable of carrying up to 32 Aster-30 air defence missiles. This will permit the Hellenic Navy to operate three ships with 32 air defence missiles plus 21 point defence missiles in a Mk31 21-cell launcher of RAM Block 2B[5]surface-to-air missiles, 8 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missiles, 2 dual launchers MU90 torpedoes and SYLENA Mk1 decoy launching systems (DLS) for CANTO anti-torpedo decoys. Two of the vessels, destined for the French Navy in 2025, now will be delivered to the Hellenic Navy. The date of the construction agreement was anticipated to be at late 2021 or early 2022.[9]
In 19 September 2024 during the event of launching ceremony for the frigate “Nearchos”, the Defense Minister announced that Greece is starting procedures to acquire a fourth frigate of the same type. He also revealed that Greece will proceed with the order of strategic MdCN missiles. This was later confirmed by the Prime Minister of Greece via social media.[10][11][8]
Construction
In December 2021 it was reported that an agreement for construction had been signed by France and Greece[12] with the actual contract for the construction of the ships having been signed on 24 March 2022.[13][14] In February 2022, documents released by the Greek Parliament indicated that initially the first two frigates for the Hellenic Navy would be equipped similar to their French counterparts in a "Standard-1" configuration (with 16 Sylver A50 cells). By 2027 the two ships would be upgraded to a "Standard-2" configuration with 32 A-50 cells as well as with the RAM Block 2B. The third Hellenic Navy frigate would be built from the outset in the "Standard-2" configuration.[15]
As of January 2023, 23 contracts had been signed with Greek companies participating in the frigates' construction, with 10 more during the same year.[16][17]
Such contracts include construction of pre-outfitted blocks in Salamis Shipyards and shipment to France for assembly (starting from the third Greek frigate, and constructed for both Greek and French frigates).[18]
In 2024 it was decided to adjust the production sequence by reassigning the fourth and fifth vessels in the production series. The fourth vessel (the previous Amiral Louzeau - D661), previously assigned to France, would instead be allocated to Greece, while the fifth ship in the series (the previous Formion - F603), previously assigned to Greece, would be destined for the French Navy instead. Each vessel would be renamed accordingly.[19] It was unclear how this reallocation might impact the original intent to have the third Greek FDI built in an enhanced "Standard-2" configuration.
^ On 19th of September 2024, the option for a fourth ship has been lifted.
Naming
According to the Hellenic Navy, the ships will be named after three great ancient Greek admirals: Cimon (Greek: Κίμων, romanized: Kímon), Nearchus (Greek: Νέαρχος, romanized: Néarchos) and Phormio (Greek: Φορμίων, romanized: Formíon).[26] The fourth frigate, which was announced to be in the acquisition process on 19 September 2024, will likely bare the name of the fourth great ancient Greek admiral Themistocles (Greek: Θεμιστοκλής, romanized: Themistoklís).[10] These names had previously been used for the ex-US Charles F. Adams-class destroyers in service with the Hellenic Navy from 1991 to 2004.[10]
^Mitsotakis, Kyriakos (19 September 2024). Facebook (social media post) (in Greek) https://www.facebook.com/kyriakosmitsotakis/posts/pfbid046KE11RrNDu9wSBhVk2aHGWbtXjAdeZi3vgbamk6gNh5WswSXreF6AgTcMHK86vYl. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024. Καθώς η χώρα μας ετοιμάζεται να υποδεχθεί την πρώτη φρεγάτα Belharra και την ημέρα που στα ναυπηγεία της Naval Group στο Lorient καθελκύεται η δεύτερη ενώ κατασκευάζεται η τρίτη, ξεκινούν οι διαδικασίες για την προμήθεια και τέταρτου σκάφους αυτού του τύπου. Γίνεται, έτσι, πράξη το μεγάλο πρόγραμμα ενίσχυσης των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων που εξαρχής είχα προσωπικά εξαγγείλει. Η δαπάνη της νέας αγοράς έχει προϋπολογιστεί κατά τρόπο που δεν διαταράσσει τη δημοσιονομική μας συνέπεια. Κρίθηκε, ωστόσο, απαραίτητη αφού η θωράκιση της πατρίδας αποτελεί αδιαπραγμάτευτη προτεραιότητα. Η Ελλάδα όλο και πιο ισχυρή. [As our country prepares to welcome the first Belharra frigate and the day the second one is launched at the Naval Group's shipyards in Lorient and the third one is under construction, the procedures for the procurement of a fourth vessel of this type are starting. The major programme to strengthen the Armed Forces that I personally announced from the outset is thus becoming a reality. The cost of the new purchase has been budgeted in a way that does not disturb our budgetary consistency. It has, however, been deemed necessary since the armouring of the homeland is a non-negotiable priority. Greece is becoming ever so stronger.] {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
