Greece has officially confirmed the acquisition of a fourth FDI HN frigate from France, strengthening a program that sits at the core of the Hellenic Navy’s future surface combat force. The contract, signed in Athens on 17 November 2025, converts a long-standing option into a firm order and reinforces Greece’s strategy to secure maritime superiority in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
The decision builds on the Franco-Greek strategic pact signed in 2021, which originally covered three frigates and an option for a fourth, valued at around 3 billion euros. The first ship of the class, HS Kimon, is completing its final trial phases and is scheduled for delivery by late 2025.
FDI HN: A Compact, Fully Digital High-End Frigate
The FDI HN is a 4,500-ton, 122-meter digital combatant equipped with:
– Thales Sea Fire AESA radar
– Up to 32 Aster 30 long-range air-defense missiles
– RAM point-defense system
– Eight Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles
– MU90 torpedoes, CANTO torpedo countermeasures
– Kingklip Mk2 hull sonar and CAPTAS-4 Compact towed array
Powered by a 32 MW CODAD propulsion system and fully integrated through the SETIS 3.0 combat management system, the ship delivers long-range detection, layered defense and advanced anti-submarine capabilities.
Enhanced Posture in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean
With four FDIs in service, Greece will be able to maintain at least two advanced frigates on station while supporting NATO’s maritime groups. Each frigate adds an air-defense umbrella, long-range strike options and deep ASW coverage, allowing Greek commanders to form powerful surface action groups across contested waters.
Athens faces a rapidly modernizing Turkish fleet—including TF-2000 destroyers, I-class frigates and Reis-class submarines—combined with indigenous cruise and anti-ship missile developments. In response, Greece has launched a 12-year, €25 billion modernization plan linking naval upgrades with airpower and a new layered air-and-missile defense network known as Achilles Shield.
FDI frigates will operate jointly with Rafales, upgraded F-16V fighters and future F-35s, sharing sensor tracks and coordinating Aster intercepts or Exocet strikes against hostile naval forces or missile-armed platforms.
Industrial Cooperation Strengthens Local Defense Ecosystem
Naval Group’s Hellenic Industrial Participation plan has already generated over 120 contracts involving 70 Greek firms. These include UAV integration with ALTUS LSA, counter-UAS solutions with HAI, and long-term support agreements for propulsion, HVAC, underwater inspection and electronics with several local companies.
A Key Step Toward a Multi-Layered, Future-Ready Navy
The fourth FDI joins Greece’s broader effort to build a balanced naval force combining digital FDI frigates, upgraded MEKO 200s and potentially second-hand FREMMs. By the late 2020s, the Hellenic Navy seeks to deploy a fully networked fleet capable of reacting faster, seeing farther and surviving better in a highly compressed operational environment.
Athens’ decision to exercise the fourth-ship option is more than a procurement update—it is a strategic investment aimed at securing long-term maritime superiority in one of the world’s most complex naval theaters.
