The Executives of the Navy have already concluded what the modernization will provide for and set as a “ceiling” the final cost of 500 million.
In the acquisition of new ships even in the long term, with the first step being the activation of the option for the 4th French frigate Belharra and the simultaneous modernization of the Units it already has, the Naval Staff is reportedly oriented after the latest developments. The postponement of the execution of the program for the new corvettes of the Fleet due to the reduction of the budget and the inability to find a definitive and sustainable solution for the Elefsina shipyards is changing the “route” of the Navy.
Thus, the first and main goal is now reportedly the acquisition of the 4th Belharra so that in the coming years the PN will have as a base four new state-of-the-art ships on which to support the “building” of the Fleet with new Units. While at the same time with the modernization of the four “HYDRA” class MEKO frigates to keep a high “ceiling” in main strike units. The four French Belharras will come to replace the non-upgraded “S” frigates in the first phase with the aim of retiring the rest when the program to acquire new corvettes goes ahead.
Information indicates that the proposal of the Naval Staff to the government will be to activate the option for the 4th Belharra to be done as soon as possible even within 2022 so that the ship can be delivered soon and in continuation of the three frigates for which the program is already “running” . So that by the end of 2026 the Fleet will have received all four ships. The cost of the 4th Belharra, which is already foreseen in the contract for the remaining three, reaches approximately 900 million euros, including armament and support. And this opportunity, as estimated by Navy officials, should not be lost given the surge in prices within a few months of the start of the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, the Naval Staff wants the acceleration of the procedures for the modernization of the four “HYDRA” class MEKO frigates. Selection of the company to undertake the difficult task as the ships are well past the Mid-Life Modernization age limit and contracting as soon as possible. With a favorite of the German joint venture TKMS/Thales Netherlands which, after all, is also the manufacturer of the ships.
The Executives of the Navy have already concluded what the modernization will provide for and set as a “ceiling” the final cost of 500 million. After all, the German proposal is financially very close to this amount, in contrast to the American one by Lockheed Martin, which reaches or even exceeds 1 billion. While the information states that the Germans have also arrived at the Greek shipyard where the modernization will take place.
The amount that will be left over from the budget of 2 billion released by the government according to the plan of the PN is expected to be allocated for the modernization of the four “214” submarines of the “PAPANICOLIS” class as well as the Fast Patrol Guided Missiles of the “ROUSSEN” class.
