Greece Greenlights Bergamini Frigates and MEKO Navy Upgrade

A Bergamini-class FREMM frigate. Greece greenlighted Bergamini frigates and a MEKO upgrade successful a large Navy overhaul. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Fabius 1975 / Public Domain

Greece is accelerating the modernization of its navy aft the Government Council for National Security (KYSEA successful Greek) approved 2 large armament programs including the upgrade of the MEKO frigates and the acquisition of 2 Italian Bergamini-class FREMM frigates.

The decisions people a cardinal measurement successful Athens’ broader program to reshape the Hellenic Navy and fortify its aboveground fleet with a much advanced, layered naval force. Under the caller structure, the Italian FREMM frigates volition run alongside the Belharra frigates and the modernized MEKO 200HN vessels, forming the backbone of Greece’s aboriginal naval architecture.

Greece advances 2+2 woody for Bergamini frigates

The assembly approved the acquisition of 2 second-hand Italian FREMM Bergamini frigates, with an enactment for 2 much vessels nether a 2+2 arrangement. Greece volition present determination toward the signing of the last statement with Italy. The 2 ships volition past acquisition the indispensable modifications anterior to delivery. The archetypal 2 frigates are expected to get astir 2028.

The determination follows Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias’ sojourn to La Spezia, Italy connected September 29, 2025, wherever helium met with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. The 2 sides signed a memorandum of practice connected naval collaboration betwixt Greece and Italy, arsenic good arsenic a declaration of intent for the acquisition of 2+2 FREMM Bergamini-class frigates.

The statement besides assigns upgrade and attraction enactment connected the FREMM frigates to Greek shipyards. Dendias has said that Greece wants the FREMM vessels to transportation the next-generation ELSA missile, arsenic planned for the Belharra frigates. According to the manufacturer, this capableness is afloat feasible.

Bergamini frigates to fortify Greece’s naval reach

The Bergamini-class FREMM frigates fertile among the astir precocious aboveground combatants successful the Mediterranean and tin transportation retired aggregate missions, including anti-submarine warfare, country aerial defense, and flexible operational deployments.

The vessels person a displacement of astir 6,500 tons, a magnitude of much than 140 meters, and a apical velocity of much than 27 knots. They transportation precocious radar and combat absorption systems and tin beryllium fitted with modern towed sonar systems, specified arsenic the CAPTAS-4, which would importantly fortify their anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Their summation is expected to supply the Hellenic Navy with greater flexibility astatine a clip erstwhile maritime security, deterrence, and accelerated effect capabilities stay cardinal to Greece’s defence planning.

Greece advances MEKO 200HN upgrade to widen fleet life

Alongside the FREMM acquisition, Greece is moving up with the modernization of its MEKO 200HN frigates, 1 of the Greek Navy’s astir captious upgrade programs, valued astatine astir €290 cardinal ($337 million). This concerns the frigates Hydra, Spetsai, Psara, and Salamis and is expected to statesman successful 2027 with completion by 2030.

The upgrade aims to widen the operational beingness of the 4 vessels by astatine slightest 15 years. It volition let the MEKO frigates to stay a cardinal portion of the fleet portion Greece introduces newer platforms and builds up a much susceptible aboveground force.

Greece to retreat Patriot strategy from Karpathos

KYSEA besides decided to retreat the Patriot air-defense strategy deployed connected Karpathos. Greece had ordered the impermanent deployment successful March amid concerns implicit imaginable rocket oregon drone threats linked to the wider Middle East crisis, but the alteration present reflects a displacement successful geopolitical conditions.

The Karpathos deployment had drawn protests from Turkey, which objected to the beingness of the strategy connected the island. Athens rejected Ankara’s claims astatine the time, saying Greece’s antiaircraft arrangements stay non-negotiable and indispensable for nationalist security.