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Hellenic Parliament ratifies the purchase of French FDI frigates.
According to information published by Whec on February 16, 2022, the Hellenic (Greek) Parliament approved a 3 billion euro agreement for the purchase of three French FDI frigates.
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Artist rendering of future FDI frigate (Picture source: Naval Group)
The FDI (Frégate de défense et d'intervention - English: Frigate for defense and intervention) is a French military program to design and create a planned class of frigates to be used by the French Navy. The FDI-HN frigate is marketed for export under the name Belharra.
The Belharra frigates will be able to conduct a wide range of missions such as anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-aircraft warfare, patrol, maritime security, control of exclusive economic zone (EEZ), asymmetric warfare, and Special Forces activities.
She will have a length of 122 m, a beam of 17.7 m, and a displacement of 4,460 tons. The ship will have a crew of 110 people as well as an aircrew detachment of approximately 15 people. She will also have a flight deck and one hangar to accommodate one unmanned VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft or one NH-90 naval helicopter.
The Belharra frigates can be armed with one Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun (mounted in stealth cupola), two 20 mm remotely operated automatic cannons, 8 Exocet MM-40 Block 3 anti-ship, two Sylver A50 8-cell VLS (Vertical Launching System) for MBDA Aster 15/30 surface-to-air missiles and two dual torpedo tubes with EuroTorp MU90 Impact torpedoes.
She will be powered by a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion system. She will have the capability to reach a top speed of 27 knots (50.0 km/h) with a maximum cruising range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km) at 15 knots (27.8 km/h).