Naval Group submitted, as part of the French Team with MBDA and Thales, a new offer for the modernization of the surface fleet of the Hellenic Navy. The French Team’s offer is a comprehensive package designed to ensure Greece has the best capabilities in the shortest timeframe with optimized costs and includes:

• 4 FDI HN - the most modern frigate – 3 built in Greece and the 1st in service by 2025 along with a Gap filler solution of 2 frigates available in early 2022

• The modernization of the MEKO frigates in Greece

• An ambitious Hellenic Industry Participation (HIP)

Beyond reinforcing the strong ties between France and Greece, the French offer addresses all the current and future needs of the Hellenic Navy with a comprehensive package based on the FDI HN, the best frigate of its category but also the first modern one already available.

With this global package of modern frigates equipped with the most advanced Sea Fire radar and missiles systems respectively provided by Thales and MBDA, the solution for the MEKO modernization and the Gap Filler, the French Team will ensure that HN capabilities are enhanced to meet immediate and future needs while creating jobs and economic benefits for the country for decades to come.

The FDI HN is the only frigate offered to the Hellenic Navy capable of protecting efficiently high value units or area at sea, shore facilities, cities and Greek islands.

The FDI HN will be a power and sovereignty asset for Greece. Fitted with up to 32 ASTER missiles or with a combination of ASTER and MICA NG missiles, 21 RAM, 8 Exocet MM 40 B 3, MU 90 lightweight torpedoes and 76 mm gun, she offers unrivalled capabilities for the permanent control of air and sea space and autonomy of action, in support of the political and military objectives set. Like all Naval Group frigates, the FDI HN will be fully interoperable with NATO and EU Navies’ fleets. She will be capable of assuming all multi-mission roles within any kind of allied fleet and within the HN fleet.

The FDI HN is a compendium of the best technologies from the European defense industries Thales, MBDA and Naval Group. The Aster missiles onboard can be engaged very quickly in all directions and ensure an unmatched hit-to-kill capability, making it possible to defeat saturating attacks.

The FDI frigate has been designed to be equipped as growth potential with Naval Cruise Missiles, a Deep Strike capability unique in the market proposed by Naval Group and able to deal with the latest threats. The physical and digital infrastructures of the FDI guarantee an evolutionary potential that will ensure that the Hellenic Navy will be able to deal with emerging and future threats over the life of the ship (UAVs, Cyber, anti-ship ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, stealth threats underwater or above water, etc.).

The first FDI HN will be delivered in 2025 meaning that the needs of the HN will be addressed very quickly and Naval Group offers a risk-free solution for the construction of the 3 other FDI HN in Greece, by Greek shipyards, on time, and with the same quality and performances as the first of class.

Naval Group has a long track record of successful transfers of technology across the world. The frigates will be co-produced in Greece, with significant involvement of the French team. Construction of the 1st frigate in France will ensure operation by Greece in the shortest timeframe and secure the transfer of technology to allow construction of 3 frigates in Greece. This will ensure long-term autonomy for HN and significant economic benefits for the Hellenic naval and defense industries and hundreds of long-term jobs in Greece.

In addition, the French offer includes a Gap filler solution, also available in the shortest timeframe since the 2 Anti-air warfare (AAW) and Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates will be delivered to Greece in 2022 within the frame of the proposal.

Over the past few months, Naval Group has deployed a permanent task force of experts in Greece to boost the survey of the Hellenic industry. Their mission is very clear: identify all local companies willing to participate in the local construction of the FDI HN frigates, the modernization of the Meko 200HN, their future in-service support but also beyond the Greek frigates program to other international naval programs with Naval Group.

Over the last decades, Naval Group has developed a robust expertise and conducted successful programs with extensive transfers of production of surface ships or submarines within its international partners’ facilities, such as in Singapore, India, Brazil or Egypt. Based on this unmatched and risk free Transfer of Technology approach, Naval Group offers a secure co-production of three (3) FDI HN frigates in Greece, by a major Greek shipyard and with a large involvement of the Hellenic Industrial ecosystem.

More than 70 companies based in Athens and Thessaloniki areas have been identified among which 10 companies are already pre-qualified and 40 have been met and/or visited for a preliminary evaluation of their industrial capabilities. The process will continue within the next weeks as Naval Group is fully committed to achieve the most extensive Hellenic industry participation.

Naval Group also expresses a strong interest in developing collaborative R&D projects with Hellenic companies, universities and research institute in cutting edge technologies such as additive manufacturing, predictive maintenance, drones or naval mission systems. Naval Group aims at developing a network of technological and research projects so as to build the Hellenic future naval warfare capabilities.

Naval Group is already working on cyber security applied to the naval and maritime domains with Greek partners in the frame of different European programs such as CYBERMAR as well as the PESCO Pandora and H2020 projects.

Finally, France and Greece share a common need for maritime surveillance. Naval Group proposes to create, together with Greek partners, an industrial and commercial activity that would address the European market from Greece. Naval Group has begun discussions with Hellenic companies in order to position itself on European research programs and to carry out joint projects.