Greece Receives HS Nearchos FDI Frigate With Expanded Air Defenses as Third Warship Nears Delivery.

The Hellenic Navy has received its second French-built Defence and Intervention Frigate (FDI), HS Nearchos, as Greece continues to modernize its surface fleet and strengthen its naval air defense capabilities in the Eastern Mediterranean. The delivery brings Athens closer to operating a new generation of warships equipped for air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime strike missions.

The Hellenic Navy's second FDI frigate, HS Nearchos (F602), officially entered Greek naval service during a ceremony at Naval Group's Lorient shipyard in France on October 30, 2026. (Picture source: Hellenic Navy)

HS Nearchos (F602) becomes the second vessel of the Kimon class transferred to Greece, following HS Kimon (F601), delivered in December 2025. A third frigate, HS Formion, is scheduled for delivery before the end of 2026, while a fourth vessel, HS Themistoklis, is expected in 2028. The program gradually replaces older surface combatants while expanding the navy's ability to respond to increasingly complex maritime threats.

According to a statement published by Naval Group on October 30, 2026, HS Nearchos was formally delivered at the company's Lorient shipyard in France, in the presence of Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias and French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin. The handover comes ten months after the first delivery under a program launched in 2022, which initially covered three frigates before Greece ordered a fourth in 2025.

A New Generation of Air Defense and Anti-Submarine Capabilities

HS Nearchos belongs to a class of approximately 4,500-ton frigates measuring 122 meters in length, with a maximum speed of 27 knots. Built around Naval Group's SETIS combat management system, the FDI combines anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities within a relatively compact platform. Its digital architecture connects onboard sensors, communications, and weapons, allowing the crew to maintain a common tactical picture and coordinate engagements against multiple threats.

A central component is the Thales Sea Fire active electronically scanned array radar, which uses four fixed antenna panels to provide continuous 360-degree surveillance. The radar can detect and track multiple aerial and surface targets, including aircraft, helicopters, drones, and incoming missiles. Combined with SETIS, it supports the identification and engagement of threats approaching from different directions, particularly important in congested maritime areas where civilian and military traffic operate close together.

Unlike the first Greek FDI delivered in Standard 1 configuration, HS Nearchos is delivered in Standard 2, which introduces expanded air defense capabilities. This configuration provides for 32 Sylver A50 vertical launch cells for Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, compared with the 16 initially active aboard HS Kimon. It also incorporates a 21-cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher for close-range protection and additional SYLENA decoy launchers. Eight Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles and a 76 mm naval gun complete its principal surface armament. The frigate is scheduled to load its missiles and other ammunition at Brest following delivery.

For anti-submarine warfare, the frigate combines the Thales Kingklip Mk2 hull-mounted sonar with the CAPTAS-4 Compact variable-depth towed sonar, providing detection capabilities across different underwater conditions. MU90 lightweight torpedoes offer an engagement capability, while an embarked MH-60R helicopter can extend surveillance beyond the ship's immediate vicinity. The class is also designed to accommodate the S-100 Camcopter unmanned aircraft, whose integration forms part of the planned capability upgrades.

Greece Expands Its Naval Capabilities Across the Eastern Mediterranean

The introduction of HS Nearchos provides the Hellenic Navy with another platform capable of protecting naval formations, monitoring maritime approaches, and participating in multinational operations. Its Aster 30 missiles are intended to engage aerial threats at distances beyond those covered by point-defense weapons, while the RAM launcher provides a final defensive layer against incoming missiles and other close-range threats. The combination of long-range surveillance, anti-ship missiles, and underwater sensors allows the frigate to operate independently or alongside other surface combatants.

The gradual arrival of four FDI frigates should also improve the availability of modern air defense vessels. Greece will be able to distribute training, maintenance, and deployments across several ships rather than depend on a smaller number of advanced combatants. However, delivery does not mean immediate full operational readiness. Ammunition loading, crew qualification, weapons certification, and future Standard 2+ and Standard 2++ upgrades remain necessary to develop the class's complete capabilities.

Industrial cooperation is another component of the program. More than 75 Greek companies participate in Naval Group's frigate and submarine activities, contributing electronic systems, mechanical equipment, and pre-equipped structural sections. Naval Group has also secured the initial in-service support contract, with maintenance and modernization activities involving its Greek subsidiary and local industrial partners. These arrangements aim to improve long-term fleet availability while developing domestic industrial expertise.

The Hellenic Navy currently relies on a surface fleet comprising eight Elli-class frigates, four Hydra-class MEKO 200HN frigates, and the newly commissioned HS Kimon, alongside missile-armed fast attack craft and patrol vessels. Its submarine force includes four Type 214 boats equipped with air-independent propulsion and older Type 209 variants. While the FDI program introduces modern air defense capabilities, much of the existing frigate fleet dates from the 1980s and 1990s, making its progressive replacement and modernization a central priority for Greece.

The delivery comes as security in the Eastern Mediterranean remains closely connected to NATO's southern flank, maritime competition, and instability in the Middle East. HS Kimon has already participated in operations supporting the protection of Cyprus, illustrating the potential role of these frigates beyond Greek territorial waters. The program also reflects the renewed strategic defense partnership between Greece and France, combining naval modernization, industrial cooperation, and closer military ties between the two Mediterranean countries.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

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