Naval Group began the development of the 2nd FDI frigate for the Hellenic Navy. The steel-cutting ceremony passed off as we speak within the Naval Group shipyard of Lorient. This system for 3 frigates plus one non-compulsory, for the Hellenic Navy was signed the twenty fourth of March 2022. Lower than 4 months later, and whereas the primary frigate is already in manufacturing, the steel-cutting ceremony held as we speak in Lorient marked an necessary step in this system and the start of the manufacturing section of the second frigate. The ceremony was led by Gilles Langlois Naval Group Program Director for Hellenic Navy Frigates in presence of Commodore Theocharis Chatzopoulos Commanding Officer of the Hellenic Navy Detachment in Lorient.

“The FDI frigates will contribute to strengthen the capabilities of the Hellenic Fleet and handle the safety challenges of the approaching a long time. The cooperation of the Hellenic Navy and Business within the context of FDI program is simply beginning to happen and there are promising indicators of a easy and productive collaboration,” Commodore Theocharis Chatzopoulos stated.

Commercial

“We’re very happy to be right here in Lorient as we speak to have a good time this primary main industrial milestone within the manufacturing of the second frigate for the Hellenic Navy. We’re proud to realize this milestone greater than three months forward of schedule and totally dedicated to delivering one of the best frigates to the Hellenic Navy within the shortest potential timeframe,” Gilles Langlois stated.

Pc-generated picture of Hellenic Navy’s FDI Frigate (Picture by Naval Group)

The Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (English: Defence and Intervention Frigate) or FDI, also called the Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire (English: Medium-Dimension Frigate) or FTI, is a deliberate class of French frigates. As of February 2022, 5 ships have been ordered for the French Navy, with the lead ship being named “Amiral Ronarc’h”, and an extra three for the Hellenic Navy. The Intermediate Frigate (FTI) program responds to the necessity for a fleet of fifteen first-class frigates and permits the French Navy to function in a disaster zone, as advisable within the White Paper on Protection and Nationwide Safety of 2013. These frigates be a part of the ten examples of the FREMM multipurpose frigate (Aquitaine) class and Horizon class.

Greece signed an settlement with France’s Naval Group to buy three FDI frigates with an possibility for yet another for the Hellenic Navy as a part of a $5 billion defence bundle. It was reported that the Hellenic Navy ships would finally carry a extra in depth weapons match with launch tubes able to carrying as much as 32 Aster-30 air defence missiles (in 4 Sylver A-50 or 3 A-50 and 1 A-70 for 8 MdCN missile. This can allow the Hellenic Navy finally to function three ships with 32 aerial defence missiles plus 21 level defence missiles being additionally outfitted with one Mk31 21-cell launcher of RAM Block 2B surface-to-air missiles, 8 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missiles, 2 twin launchers MU90 torpedoes and CANTO torpedo countermeasures.