On September 19th, 2024, the launching ceremony of the second FDI frigate Hellenic Ship (HS) Nearchos took place in the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient (France).
The ceremonial launching took place in the presence of Nikolaos Dendias, Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, and General Gaël Diaz de Tuesta, Director of the International Direction of the French General Armament Directorate (representing Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of the Armed Forces). General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (or HNDGS), Vice Admiral Dimitrios E. Kataras, Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff (or HNGS) as well as the General Director of GDDIA, Major General Ioannis Bouras were also attending the ceremony.
The HS Nearchos frigate joined on the Scorff river her sistership HS Kimon, which is currently undergoing harbor trials before starting on her first sea trials. HS Nearchos will receive its Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM) a few weeks after its launching. The three Hellenic Frigates are now at an advanced stage of production, as the third unit, HS Formion, whose keel laying of its first block took place in April, has completed its hull assembly this August. One of her blocks, section 8, was manufactured by Salamis Shipyards in Greece. The three frigates will be delivered in 2025 and 2026.
This event is once again an opportunity to highlight the success of the solid, long-term industrial cooperation between France and Greece, which is characterized in particular by the integration of numerous Greek manufacturers into Naval Group’s supply chain. As such, HS Nearchos, as well as the other FDI frigates, incorporates several equipment “Made in Greece”.
The FDI for the Hellenic Navy is a 4,500-tonne warship. Multipurpose and resilient, she will enable the Hellenic Navy to ensure its maritime superiority in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea thanks to her high-level capabilities in all areas of naval combat: anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-ship, and special forces projection, with unique capabilities against asymmetric threats. She also benefits from the latest Thales innovations in radar, sonar and electronic warfare.
Strongly armed (MBDA Exocet MM40 B3C anti-surface and Aster anti-missile missiles, RAM systems, MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes, artillery), HS Nearchos embarks simultaneously a helicopter and a capacity of aerial vehicle (UAV).
The FDI also benefits from the expertise of Thales, MBDA, and all our other partners and subcontractors.
Technical specifications:
- Displacement: 4,500 tons
- Length: approx. 122 meters
- Width: 18 meters
- Maximum speed: 27 knots
- Aviation facilities: 10-ton class helicopter, VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
Main armaments:
- 32 Aster missiles developed by MBDA
- 8 Exocet MM40 B3C missiles developed by MBDA
- RAM missiles
- MU 90 torpedoes developed by Naval Group
- 76 mm gun
- 4 torpedo tubes
- CANTO counter measures developed by Naval Group
As an international naval defence player, Naval Group is a partner for countries seeking to maintain control of their maritime sovereignty. Naval Group develops innovative solutions to meet its customers’ requirements.
Present throughout the entire life cycle of vessels, Naval Group designs, produces, integrates, supports and upgrades submarines and surface ships, as well as their systems and equipment, up to and including dismantling. It also provides shipyard and naval base services. As a high-tech company, Naval Group draws on its outstanding expertise, unique design and production resources and ability to establish strategic partnerships, in particular within the framework of transfers of technology.
Ever mindful of the issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Naval Group is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact. With bases on five continents, the group generates revenue of 4,257 billion euros and has 16 325 employees (average annual full-time equivalent workforce - data as of December 31, 2023).
