Greece's navy formally took delivery of its second French-built Belharra-class frigate, the Nearchos, on Friday at Naval...

Greece's navy formally took delivery of its second French-built Belharra-class frigate, the Nearchos, on Friday at Naval Group's shipyards in Lorient, France. The Greek flag was raised aboard the vessel, Defence Minister Nikos Dendias signed the handover documents, and a Greek crew took command of the ship. The Nearchos joins the Kimon, which was delivered in December 2025, giving Greece two of the advanced FDI (Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention) warships from a four-ship order placed with Naval Group in 2021. Dendias, who attended the ceremony alongside Greece's military leadership, said the frigate carries "Greek hands and a Greek soul." The ship will sail to the French port of Brest in the coming days to receive its full weapons suite, including Exocet anti-ship missiles, Aster 30 air-defense missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, and ammunition for its RAM close-in weapon system and main gun. The Hellenic Navy plans to conduct its first live Aster missile test firing in 2027, in cooperation with the French navy. A third frigate, the Formion, is scheduled to join the fleet on December 17, 2026, and will remain in Lorient until spring 2027 for an upgrade to the Standard 2++ configuration. The fourth vessel, the Themistocles, is expected in late 2028 and will carry French-made SCALP Naval cruise missiles with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, making it the first Greek frigate capable of long-range strategic strikes. Dendias said Greece expects to field ten modern or modernized frigates by the end of the decade. Prime Minister Mitsotakis welcomed the delivery, saying the Nearchos would strengthen deterrence and contribute to stability in the southeastern Mediterranean. #Greece #HellenicNavy #Nearchos