Greece is locking in a twelve-frigate surface fleet by 2030, with all three components now officially confirmed. The pla...

Greece is locking in a twelve-frigate surface fleet by 2030, with all three components now officially confirmed. The plan combines four French FDI HN Belharra frigates, four Italian FREMM Bergamini frigates, and four upgraded MEKO 200HN Hydra-class ships already being modernised in Greek shipyards. The FREMM acquisition was approved by Greece's Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence on 18 May 2026, in a phased 2+2 structure. The agreement was signed with Italy in La Spezia, with Defence Minister Nikos Dendias describing the ships as about a decade old, in excellent condition, and carrying excellent capabilities. The first two Bergamini frigates are expected by 2030 at an estimated cost of around 900 million euros, before any major technical conversion work. The four Hydra-class MEKOs, which entered Hellenic Navy service between 1992 and 1998, are being overhauled at Skaramangas Shipyards with a target of completing all four by 2030 and extending their operational lives by at least 15 years. Three contracts cover the upgrade work: Thales Nederland at 248.7 million euros, Greek firm SSMART at 11.55 million euros, and Skaramangas Shipyards at 19 million euros, all excluding VAT. The upgrades include a TACTICOS combat management system, an NS100 digital radar, new fire control systems, a drone-countermeasure radar linked to the Greek Kentavros system, and a new hull-mounted sonar. On armament, the Belharra frigates are already configured for Aster 30 missiles. Dendias has stated his intention for the FREMMs to be capable of carrying the new-generation ELSA missile as well, bringing greater long-range strike capacity to the fleet. The twelve frigates will progressively replace the eight Dutch-built Elli-class ships, commissioned between 1978 and 1982, which form the current backbone of the Hellenic Navy's surface force. The corvette programme that was shelved after 2022 budget shifts is effectively replaced by the FREMM purchase. #HellenicNavy #Greece #Defense