Defense minister checks on frigates in France

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos was in western France on Monday to attend the floating of the first new-generation frigate being built for the French Navy, a precursor to three warships ordered by the Hellenic Navy, with the option of a fourth.

Visiting the facilities of the Naval Group company in Lorient at the invitation of his counterpart Sebastien Lecornu, Panagiotopoulos also checked on the progress of one of the Greek ships, saying that the first French frigate that is, by construction, protected against cyber threats is a milestone toward the “vision of European strategic autonomy, which also contributes, effectively, to bolstering the transatlantic partnership.”

The intervention and defense frigate (FDI) is described as a multipurpose and resilient high-sea vessel with two data centers virtually accommodating a great part of the ship’s applications, according to the European Defense Review.