Greece and Naval Group Ink contract for 3 FDI HN frigates - Naval News (original) (raw)
Naval Group press release
A new step in the strategic partnership with Greece
In accordance with the defence agreement signed last October between Greece and France, the Hellenic authorities have signed two contracts with Naval Group for the supply of three Defence and Intervention Frigates (FDI HN), plus one optional, as well as their in-service support. The contracts include as well the supply of MU90 torpedoes and CANTO countermeasures.
The contracts were signed today in Athens by Vice-Admiral (rtd) Aristeidis Alexopoulos, General Director of the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments, and Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group, in the presence of the Greek Minister of Defence, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly.
In accordance with the 🇬🇷🇫🇷 defence agreement signed last October, the Hellenic authorities have signed two contracts for the supply of 3⃣ Defence and Intervention Frigates (FDI HN), plus 1⃣ as an option, as well as their in-service support. ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/AkhFWpJ3Nd
— Naval Group (@navalgroup) March 24, 2022
“Naval Group is proud, along with its French industrial partners Dassault, MBDA and Thales, to be a part of this new chapter in the strategic alliance between Greece and France. Greece has chosen the latest generation of frigates that bring together the best of French naval know-how and will strengthen the capabilities of the Hellenic Navy. The frigates program is the first of many steps in the partnership between Naval Group and the Hellenic Navy and will contribute to the development of the partnership between our countries, our navies and our industries for decades to come.”
Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group
The FDI HN will quickly and sustainably enhance the capabilities of the Hellenic Navy’s surface fleet as they will be delivered in a very short timeframe, starting in 2025 for the first two units and in 2026 for the third one.
A major program for the Hellenic industry
Naval Group image
Naval Group proposed a robust cooperation plan (HIP, Hellenic Industry Participation Plan) to offer opportunities to Greek industry, research, and academic partners, creating jobs and skills in the country.
As part of the frigates program, Naval Group’s teams have been working in Greece for several months to establish partnerships with local industrial players for the construction and the in-service support of the ships. Our objective is to sign the first contracts in the coming months. In addition, this cooperation plan contains a section dedicated to the development of European R&D projects, in collaboration with Hellenic and European partners.
A powerful, innovative and cyber-secure frigate
The FDI HN features high-level capabilities in all warfare domains: anti-ship, anti-air, antisubmarine, and special forces projection. Its air and surface defences are ensured by the most modern sensors, including the Thales Sea Fire, the first all-digital multifunction radar with an active antenna and fixed panels.
The FDI HN is equipped with a unique integrated mast that brings together all the airborne sensors, enabling permanent 360° surveillance. As the first frigate on the market to be natively protected against cyber threat, the FDI HN is equipped with two data centers hosting almost all of the ship’s applications.
Technical specifications of the FDI HN
- Displacement: 4,500 tons
- Length: 122 meters
- Beam: 18 metres
- Maximum speed: 27 knots
- operational availability: 3,500 hours per year
- aviation facility: 10 ton-class helicopter, VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
The main armaments of the FDI HN are:
- 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
-End-
About FDI frigates
FDI HN infographic prepared by Naval Analyses (https://twitter.com/D\_\_Mitch)
The FDI is a front line surface combatant with a 4,500 tons class displacement. Multipurpose and resilient, she is capable of operating, alone or within a naval force. She offers capabilities for all types of warfare: anti-surface, anti-air, anti-submarine, and as well as for special forces projection. Bringing together the best of French naval technologies on a compact platform, the FDI is a powerful and innovative frigate, designed to meet the evolution of threats.
It is the first frigate to benefit from a digital architecture that will allow her continuous adaptation to technological and operational evolutions. As a result, the FDI will be able to address current and future threats and to handle always more data.
The FDI will be the first French frigate natively protected against cyber threats, with two data centers virtually accommodating a great part of the ship applications. The FDI introduces the concept of a dedicated system for asymmetric warfare. This system will enable the coordination and conduct of the fight against small and close air and surface threats, including booby-trapped boats.
Strongly armed (Exocet MM40 B3C anti-surface missiles, Aster 15/30 anti-air missiles, MU90 antisubmarine torpedoes, artillery), the FDI is able to embark simultaneously a helicopter (10 tons class such as NH90) or the future Joint Light Helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle (up to 700kg). She can also receive a Special Forces detachment with their two commando boats. They are equipped with the new generation Seafire radar with four fixed panels, developed by Thales, which, combined with the missile delivery system, offers unmatched area defense capabilities.
Update 25/03/2022 RAMSYS reached out to Naval News to point out the following information:
RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) is a 50/50 shared bilateral program by the governments of Germany and US. All development and production contracts implement a 50/50 share to Raytheon and RAMSYS. All productions cannot build a complete launching system or missile without the work of the other.
For the Hellenic Navy deal, RAMSYS is in the lead. The weapon system is named GMLS (Guided Missile Launching System) Mk49 Mod5, with so called RAM GMRP (Guided Missile Round Pack) Mk44 Mod4 or short form Block 2 missiles. RAM is a US-German system, because the owner of the data packages are both governments. The RIM-116C is the name based on the US military service designation system. RIM – (R) Ship-launched (I) Intercept-aerial (M) Guided missile, 116 is RAM and C / “Charlie” is Block 2. This is only the missile itself, without covering canister surrounding/frame.