On 21 October 2022, the first block of the first FDI HN frigate for the Hellenic Navy was laid down in dry dock at Naval Group’s shipyard in Lorient in presence of Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff. This step marks the beginning of the assembly of the ship in the building hall.
On 24 March 2022, Greece chose to equip its naval forces with three defence and intervention frigates, plus one optional, and their in-service support. The FDI HN, designed and produced by Naval Group in Lorient, France, will enhance the capabilities of the Hellenic Navy’s surface fleet as they will be delivered in a short timeframe, starting in 2025 for the first two units and in 2026 for the third.
The Greek navy wants the FDI HN to become the spearhead of the Hellenic Fleet. The FDI HN features high level capabilities in all warfare domains: anti-ship, anti-air, antisubmarine and special forces projection. Its air and surface protection are ensured by 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 an 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 the cyber threat, the FDI HN is equipped with two data centres hosting almost all of the ship’s applications.
Technical specifications of the FDI HN:
- 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)
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
