HS Kimon: The Dawn of a New Era for Greece’s Naval Force
The inaugural FDI frigate for the Hellenic Navy, HS Kimon, initiated her initial sea trials on May 21st in Lorient. The vessel leveraged the insights gained during the sea trials of Amiral Ronarc’h, the first of its class for the French Navy.
Engineered for operation by the Hellenic Navy, the FDI HS Kimon has kicked off her sea trials from the Naval Group facility in Lorient, Brittany. The Hellenic Navy representatives will meticulously oversee the trials.
Thanks to the knowledge acquired during the Amiral Ronarc’h sea trials, the evaluations for HS Kimon will be conducted more efficiently. The initial offshore period will primarily focus on testing the platform systems, encompassing propulsion and navigation capabilities. The subsequent offshore phase, scheduled for a few weeks later, will concentrate on Combat systems and operational endurance at sea.
The year 2025 signifies a pivotal moment for the FDI programme, marked by sea trials and the forthcoming handover of the initial frigate for the Hellenic Navy, alongside the imminent launch of the third vessel, HS Formion. By 2026, the Hellenic Navy will command three state-of-the-art, multi-role FDI frigates.
An all-encompassing warfare domain frigate ready to counter current and future threats
Crafted for premier navies aiming to secure their sovereignty, the FDI is a battle-ready vessel capable of addressing both present and future threats. This versatile and robust high-seas ship will empower the Hellenic Navy to maintain its maritime dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, owing to her exceptional capabilities across all facets of naval warfare: anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and special forces deployment, with specialized capabilities against asymmetric threats. She also incorporates the latest advancements from Thales in radar, sonar, and electronic warfare technologies.
Designed and manufactured using cutting-edge digital tools, these frigates also represent the first instances to utilize an on-board digital architecture that enables continuous adaptation to technological and operational advancements, ensuring they can meet the demands of evolving threats. Her architecture and digital frameworks secure growth potential, allowing for adjustments to future threats throughout her lifespan with incremental updates rather than expensive Mid Life Upgrades.
The FDI is inherently safeguarded against cyber threats, employing a redundant IT architecture supported by two data centers that virtually host a significant portion of the vessel’s software. In terms of operational innovation, the FDI introduces the concept of a gateway specifically designed to combat asymmetric threats. This system will facilitate coordination and management against small, proximal air and surface threats.
Robustly equipped (MBDA Exocet MM40 B3c anti-surface and Aster anti-air missiles, RAM system, MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes, artillery), the FDI for the Hellenic Navy accommodates both a helicopter and a capability for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). She also benefits from the expertise of Thales, MBDA, and all our esteemed partners and subcontractors.
Technical specifications:
- Displacement: 4,500 tons
- Length: approximately 122 meters
- Width: 18 meters
- Maximum speed: 27 knots
- Aviation facilities: helicopter class of 10 tons, VTOL UAV
Main armaments:
- 32 Aster missiles developed by MBDA
- 8 Exocet MM40 B3c missiles developed by MBDA
- RAM missiles
- 76 mm cannon
- 4 torpedo tubes equipped with MU 90 torpedoes designed by Naval Group
- 2 decoy launchers with CANTO countermeasures created by Naval Group
