Greece's newest warship is underway. The Hellenic Navy's second FDI frigate, Nearchos (F-602), has left Lorient, France,...

Greece's newest warship is underway. The Hellenic Navy's second FDI frigate, Nearchos (F-602), has left Lorient, France, and is now sailing under the Greek flag for the first time, heading to the naval base at Brest to receive its full weapons package. Brest is where the missiles go on. The frigate will load all 32 cells of its vertical launch system with Aster 30 anti-aircraft missiles, capable of tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously across a search area exceeding 500 kilometres. It will also receive Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles, MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes, RAM close-in defense missiles, and 76mm main gun ammunition. Nearchos is expected to remain in Brest until the middle of next week, with the weather-dependent sail to Greece planned after that. The frigate is due to arrive at the Saronic Gulf in late November, following the same route taken by the first Greek FDI frigate, Kimon, roughly a year ago. The ship displaces 4,500 tonnes, stretches about 122 metres in length, and reaches a maximum speed of 27 knots with a crew of 120. It carries the integrated PSIM sensor mast, the CAPTAS-4 anti-submarine sonar system, and a fully digital Sea Fire radar. A third FDI frigate, Formion, is set to be commissioned on December 17. A fourth, Themistoklis, is expected in late 2028 and will be the first Greek warship to carry SCALP Naval cruise missiles with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometres. #HellenicNavy #Greece #FDIFrigate