Greece continues its rearmament and will buy two Italian frigates Fremm

The Greek government has approved the acquisition of two Italian frigates of the Fremm type and the modernization of its existing fleet. Following the acquisition of Rafale jets and French frigates in recent years, Athens continues a broad military strengthening program in the context of ongoing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Athens is continuing to bolster its navy. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Sunday that the government council for defense and foreign affairs had approved the purchase of two Italian Bergamini frigates, the Italian version of the Fremm program.

The Greek government has not disclosed the cost of the operation but indicated that this decision is part of a broader strategy to modernize the armed forces. In parallel, Athens also plans to modernize its MEKO frigates built with the German TKMS group and invest in new encryption systems to enhance military communications security.

This announcement is part of a movement initiated by Greece over several years to strengthen its strategic posture in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Athens has become one of the main European clients of the defense industry. In 2021, the country ordered 24 Dassault Rafale aircraft and three French FDI Belharra frigates as part of a defense agreement with France, before adding a fourth unit.

The country is also carrying out a twelve-year transformation program for its armed forces, worth around €25 billion, including the development of the “Achilles Shield,” a future integrated anti-missile, anti-aircraft, and anti-drone system.