Defence Minister Nikos Dendias spoke, among other things, about the new capabilities that the construction of FDI frigates — some of which are being built in Greece — will give the Armed Forces. He was speaking in a statement on Friday, 30 October 2026, as he arrived at the Naval Group shipyards in Lorient, France, for the ceremony to raise the Greek flag on the second FDI frigate (Belharra).
Mr Dendias first said “I am back here in Lorient for the ceremony to raise the Greek flag aboard the ‘Nearchos’, the second Greek FDI frigate”, before referring to his earlier meeting with his French counterpart, Catherine Vautrin:
“I had a bilateral meeting earlier with my French counterpart, whom I thank for the frank exchange of views. We had a broader discussion about European defence, Greek-French cooperation and our joint presence in the European defence framework”, he said.
He highlighted the joint efforts of France and Greece, and Greece and France, “to build defence capabilities within our European family”.
He noted that “what my French counterpart raised earlier was very important: Sweden’s choice of the same platform, the FDI, which Greece also chose”.
The platform, the defence minister said, has impressive capabilities. “With the Standard 2++ configuration we have sought and will achieve by 2030, I would like to say clearly, fully aware of the weight of these words, that it is the best ship in its class in the world”.
He went on to welcome the presence of Jean-Yves Le Drian, whom he warmly thanked.
“Jean-Yves Le Drian was the French foreign minister with whom I negotiated and signed the Greek-French agreement, which led to the frigate programme”, Mr Dendias said, adding: “He was and remains a close friend of our country, Greece, and a man with a broader European outlook”.
In closing, he said he was particularly pleased with his cooperation with his French counterpart, Ms Vautrin, and thanked her warmly.
“The FDI frigate construction programme includes work being carried out in Greece and, following the order for the fourth frigate, a greater share is being built in Greece”, he said, stressing that “part of the frigate you see behind you has Greek hands and a Greek soul”.
“This programme, then, gives our country’s Armed Forces new capabilities. I am pleased for that reason, and I look forward to welcoming the Nearchos to Piraeus, to Salamis, at the naval base in early December”, the defence minister concluded.
SOURCE: AMNA