Construction of the first Belharra is underway – When will the three superweapons be delivered?

Autopsy of “democracy” at the shipyards of the Naval Group, where the French frigate is being built for the Navy

The construction of the first FDI-HN type frigate for the Navy is in full progress, progressing according to the schedules. In the context of a global journalistic mission to the shipyards of the contractor NavalGroup in Lorient, in Brittany, in the north-west of France, in which the “democracy” also participated, the development of the implementation of the Belharra frigate program for which France has placed orders to date (five frigates ) and Greece (three frigates).

In covered, for protection from the extremely changeable, even within the same twenty-four hours, weather conditions of Brittany and to create as stable an environment as possible, permanent tank of the shipyards, during the visit, the sectors of the intended for its navy France’s first FDI-type frigate had already been joined (by welding) and work was being done inside the ship.

Here it should be noted that based on the construction methodology adopted by the Naval Group at this stage the equipment of the ship (the multitude of main and secondary systems, subsystems, assemblies, components and devices) amounts to 80% of the planned. In each sector that is transferred to the permanent tank and placed in its intended position so that they will then all be joined together to form the vessel and its superstructure, the piping, wiring and to a very large extent the intended equipment have already been installed.

This methodology has been chosen because it is easier and less time-consuming to install pipes, cables and equipment in the areas that allow multiple possibilities of access to all their internal spaces.

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The frigate in question, which in service will receive the serial number D660 and the name “Amiral Ronarch”, is to be launched at the end of October 2022 and probably its launch, which is an important milestone in the implementation of the program, will coincide with the national holiday of October 28, so as to be a highly symbolic honorary gesture for the Greek national holiday. It is scheduled to enter service with the French navy in the spring of 2024, after first undergoing an extensive program of factory tests in the bay and at sea and, of course, successfully completing acceptance tests.

The first sections of the first Greek frigate FDI-HN have already been transferred to the same permanent tank, the construction program of which is in full progress under the supervision of the French Naval Echelon of the Navy, which was established to closely monitor the implementation of the program and in particular the progress of the shipbuilding in accordance with the schedules provided for in the contract, but also of the full compliance of the contractor with the technical characteristics and performance of the equipment to be installed on the ship referred to in the contract.

In other parts of the yard, the construction of sectors and equipment continues, so that they will then be transferred to the above-mentioned permanent tank, where they will finally be joined. In fact, the construction of parts of the sectors of the second Greek frigate FDI-HN has already begun (the cutting ceremony of the first plate took place in Lorient on July 13, 2022) which then, based on the schedules, will be joined into sectors, equipped and finally they will be transferred to the permanent tank for amalgamation.

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The joining of the sectors is done by electric welding starting from the lower central part of the sectors simultaneously from both sides up to their highest point. The process is demanding, with very small tolerances, and takes about a 24-hour period to ensure that the welding (joining) of two sectors along its entire length takes place under approximately the same environmental conditions.

When will the three superweapons be delivered?

It is recalled that based on the law-contract ratified by the Parliament on February 15, 2022, Greece procured three FDI (Frégatede Défenseet d’ Intervention) HN (Hellenic Navy) frigates with an option to purchase ( option) of a frigate (PN4, with a price of 719,600,000 euros and a delivery date of December 31, 2027), after related goods and services.

The total cost of the three frigates amounts to 2,261,000,000 euros, including their equipment and the relevant crew and maintainer training. The first frigate (PN1) is expected to be delivered on 31 March 2025, the second (PN2) on 31 October 2025 and the third (PN3) on 31 October 2026, but it should be considered certain that the frigates will be ready earlier than the original , their contractual, predetermined delivery time.

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