ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
By Helleniscope’s Editorial Team
Today marks a historic milestone for the Hellenic Navy and Greece’s broader defence posture, as the Greek flag was officially raised on HS Kimon (F-601), the first of the new Belharra / FDI HN “digital frigates.” The ceremony, held at Naval Group’s shipyard in Lorient, France, formally signaled the ship’s transfer to Greek ownership and command, closing a long chapter of procurement and opening a new era of naval capability.
The flag-raising is more than a symbolic act. It represents the first major surface combatant to enter the Hellenic Navy in more than two decades, at a time when maritime security in the Eastern Mediterranean is increasingly complex and contested. With Kimon, Greece is moving decisively toward a fleet built for high-end, network-centric warfare rather than incremental upgrades to legacy platforms.
The ceremony was attended by Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, senior Hellenic Armed Forces leadership, and representatives of the French government and Naval Group. Their presence underscored the event’s military and diplomatic significance. The Belharra program has become one of the most visible pillars of the deepening Greek-French strategic partnership, extending beyond procurement to long-term defence cooperation and industrial collaboration.
HS Kimon is the lead ship of the FDI HN class, a Greek-tailored variant of France’s Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention. Designed from the outset as a “digital frigate,” it integrates advanced sensors, a highly automated combat management system, and multi-domain weaponry optimized for modern naval operations. Central to its design is an emphasis on air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and networked operations with allied forces, reflecting Greece’s operational needs in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
From an operational perspective, the induction of Kimon represents a qualitative leap. Equipped with advanced radar systems, Aster surface-to-air missiles, Exocet anti-ship missiles, and state-of-the-art sonar, the ship significantly enhances Greece’s ability to detect, track, and engage threats across air, surface, and sub-surface domains. Just as important is its role as a node in a broader digital battlespace, capable of sharing data seamlessly with other naval units, aircraft, and allied forces.
Strategically, today’s event sends a clear signal. Greece is investing not only in numbers, but in technological superiority and interoperability with its European and NATO partners. The Belharra program is widely viewed as a cornerstone of Greece’s €25 billion defence modernization effort, aimed at restoring credible deterrence and ensuring freedom of action at sea.
HS Kimon is the first of four Belharra frigates ordered by Greece, to be followed by Nearchos, Formion, and a fourth unit currently planned under the same class. Following today’s ceremony, Kimon will proceed to the final stages of fitting-out and weapons integration in France before sailing to Greece, where it is expected to be formally commissioned into the Hellenic Navy in early 2026.
For the Hellenic Navy, the raising of the flag on Kimon is both an end and a beginning: the culmination of years of strategic decision-making and negotiation, and the start of a new chapter defined by digital warfare, enhanced deterrence, and renewed maritime confidence.
Sources & Further Reading
Greek City Times – Greece Receives First Belharra-Class Frigate in Landmark Ceremony
Newsit.gr – Σήμερα υψώνεται η ελληνική σημαία στον «Κίμωνα»
Greek Reporter – Greece Receives First Belharra Frigate as Naval Modernization Progresses
Euronews – Greece Takes Delivery of Kimon Frigate from France as €25bn Military Upgrade Continues
To Manifesto – Η ελληνική σημαία υψώθηκε στη φρεγάτα Belharra «Κίμων»
