The Naval Staff is completely satisfied since all the data and the estimates show that the French seem to be winning the bet of the fast construction of the first Greek FDI frigate with simultaneous quality superiority. And according to the information coming from the Lorient shipyard, their “secret” is none other than the new innovative shipbuilding technique they apply, which speeds up all work in record time.
This is the method of “building” a ship “block to block”, i.e. the independent construction of large sections almost to their final form and then following the “coupling” between them until the vessel of the ship is completed from the bow to the stern and from the main deck to the reefs.
Each vessel of the FDI frigates is essentially “built” in total with nine blocks which are manufactured separately and then joined one after the other with a starting block the fifth i.e. the one located right in the center of the ship. And on the fifth block are added with millimeter precision four in front of it to the characteristic inverted bow of the FDI and four behind it to the stern.
Everything starts and ends from a computer on which the ship is designed to its last screw. With the process being followed reverently and each block starting from the cutting of the plates and ending with the placement of all the components and systems until it “fits” with the previous one to form the ship’s hull.
Already the fifth central block of the first Greek FDI frigate of the “KIMON” class is ready and will be presented tomorrow, Friday, October 21, at the symbolic “drydock” ceremony in the presence of the Chief of General Staff Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis. Both for the French manufacturers and mainly for our Navy and the Greek Fleet, it is a milestone day for the course of the program. The speed of the French has advanced the work ahead of schedule, something that seems to be confirmed by the ranks of Navy officials who have “dropped anchor” in the French shipyards and are closely monitoring the progress of the project. According to the first estimates, as already reported by Newpost, they are talking about the delivery of the “KIMON” frigate before March 2025, with the “NEARCHOS” and “FORMION” to follow.
However, the French of the Naval Group show that they wish to make their “imprint” even stronger within Greek borders, especially while the “naval battle” for corvettes remains open, by signing a total of 20 contracts with 15 Greek companies. These are contracts concerning both the Platform of the ships and the Combat System. With the most typical one with the Salamina Shipyards which will build parts of the hull of the FDI frigates. And the direct result is the preservation but also the creation of new jobs, in some cases highly specialized ones. Contracts that exceed the program of the three Greek FDI frigates. With an option for these companies to participate in other programs or international competitions in the future. And a clear goal from the Naval Group to strengthen its position in the “race” to claim the corvette program which seems to be “heating up” and now has the Italian Fincantieri with Doha as its favorite.
Typical are what the Deputy Minister of National Defense Nikos Hardalias emphasized after the meeting he had with the French Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecorny and the opening of the Greek pavilion at the International Maritime Defense and Navigation Safety Exhibition “Euronaval 2022”. “The Greek Armed Forces have a long tradition of using French weapons systems.
The recent procurement of the Belharra Frigates is the latest example of the timeless and extremely important convergence between our countries in the fields of defence, economy and foreign policy. It also represents a complex multi-stakeholder project, aiming to deliver a final product that we aspire to be the spearhead of our Navy.
These ships, together with the rest of the Greek and French naval forces, will be the best guarantors of peace, security and stability on the eastern sea borders of the European Union”.
