Naval Group Launches HS Kimon, First FDI Frigate for the Hellenic Navy

The ceremonial launching of the first Hellenic ship (HS) Kimon took place at the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient. The event was graced by the presence of Sébastien Lecornu, French Minister of the Armed Forces, and his Greek counterpart, Nikolaos Dendias. Also in attendance were the Chief Executives of the French and Greek Armament General Directorates, along with the Chiefs of the French and Hellenic Navies General Staff.

“Greece has honoured Naval Group by choosing the FDI vessels to renew its combat fleet for the Hellenic Navy. This launching is another important step in our strong cooperation with Greece, as it marks the symbolic birth of the HS Kimon frigate for her first contact with the sea. It is also a concrete illustration of the Naval Group’s commitment to supporting robust industrial cooperation with the Hellenic industry, growing stronger every day. Naval Group is proud to be moving forward together with all of its French and Greek partners, on this great FDI adventure.” said Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group.

The launching of the FDI frigate Kimon is a major industrial and symbolic milestone in the FDI program for the Hellenic Navy. The contract for the procurement of three frigates, plus one optional, was signed with Greece on 24 March 2022. All three frigates are in production. The first pre-outfitted block of the second unit HS Nearchos has just been transferred into the dry dock for the keel laying, and the first steel-cutting of the third HS Formion frigate occurred on July 12th 2023. The next steps for HS Kimon are the first sea-going scheduled for 2024, and the delivery in 2025.

This event also highlights the success of the strong and long-term industrial cooperation between France and Greece, as many Greek industrials are fully integrated into Naval Group’s supply chain and were present in Lorient for the ceremony.