Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced that Greece will sign contracts for the acquisition of a fourth FDI Belharra-class frigate within 2025. “We are nearing the completion of negotiations for the acquisition a fourth frigate FDI, the Themistoklis,” Dendias said during the launching ceremony of the third Belharra frigate, F-603 Formion, in the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient, France, on Wednesday.
According to state-run news agency amna, the upcoming contract will be supplementary to the original order, with Greece exercising its option to acquire a fourth vessel at a cost of under €1 billion.
Dendias also revealed that Greece has secured industrial returns equal to 25% of the frigate’s value.
This means that one-quarter of the expenditure will be reinvested into Greek industry, either through other programs run by the manufacturing company or through follow-on support services for the Greek frigates.
For the first time, all three Greek FDI frigates, F-601 Kimon, F-602 Nearchos, and F-603 Formion, were showcased together, moored side by side along the banks of the Scorff River.