Greece is expanding its navy and purchasing Italian frigates
Greece has approved the purchase of four used Italian frigates. The deal with Italy is entering its final stage and is expected to bolster the capabilities of the Greek Navy. This was reported by Ekathimerini.
The Greek government has given the green light to the purchase of four Italian FREMM frigates. These are Carlo Bergamini-class ships that have been in service but remain modern and combat-ready. Negotiations with Italy are now in the final stage.
The deal is planned to be implemented under a “2+2” scheme: Greece will initially receive two ships, followed by two more. The first pair is expected to cost approximately 700 million euros. This amount already includes some of the weaponry and key systems. In the near future, the Greek Parliamentary Committee on Armaments is set to review the details of the agreement. The committee also plans to approve another major initiative—the modernization of four MEKO-class frigates. The work will be carried out at the Skaramangas shipyards and will include upgrades to combat systems and technical repairs.
The procurement package includes more than just the ships themselves. It also provides for technical support, spare parts, and crew training. The Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri will participate in this effort.
Greece also wants to enhance the anti-submarine capabilities of the new ships. To this end, the purchase of modern CAPTAS-4 sonar systems is being considered. This will allow the FREMM frigates to operate on par with the new French FDI ships. Separately, the selection of weaponry is underway—specifically, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. In addition, parliament will discuss NATO support programs for existing systems, including the HAWK, PzH 2000 artillery, and Stinger systems. The total cost of these programs is estimated at approximately 110 million euros.
In this way, Greece is gradually modernizing its fleet and focusing on modern naval capabilities that will allow it to better respond to threats in the region.
Kyiv also insists on having a say in the deployment of naval drones, which it plans to produce jointly with Greece; however, Athens does not support this condition.
