Navy chief visits French shipyards to inspect Belharra frigate construction

The FDI frigates under construction in France will spearhead the Greek fleet and offer new operational capabilities in the near future, Greek Navy chief Vice-Admiral Stylianos Petrakis said on a visit to the Lorient shipyards on Friday. 

Naval Group’s Lorient shipyards are building the first of the FDI HN (Belharra) frigates Greece has ordered, and Petrakis saw the first section in the dry dock, in the first major step of constructing the ship.

“Today is a major step toward the new digital era we have planned for the Greek Navy,” he said, noting that the navies of Greece and France are working together to promote peace and security, under the European Union and NATO.

Petrakis said the program is on schedule, “which confirms the decisions were right and the planning and implementation of a complex and very demanding program was comprehensive.” The navy’s FDI program signals Greece’s and France’s commitment to stand in solidarity for each other before any threats, and strengthens the “European defense of the future,” he added.

The program for the purchase of three FDI frigates (plus one more provisionally) for the navy was signed in March. The cutting of the metal plate took place less than four months later, and while the first frigate is already in the production stage, it was noted in an announcement. [AMNA]