A new major order for Thales. On Monday, May 25th, the group announced that it had signed a contract with the Greek Directorate of Armament. Greece owns four Hydra-class frigates and has called on Thales for their “modernization,” with NS 100 radars and STIR fire control sensors, as reported by BFMTV. “With the integration of these new sensors and the latest version of the Tacticos combat management system, the ships will retain optimal efficiency: the sensors and combat management system selected for this modernization have proven themselves within several NATO fleets,” the group stated in a press release.
These tensions are heightened due to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. However, Greece also has regular tensions with Turkey, its neighbor. Additionally, Athens is a regular client of Paris. In 2021, it ordered 24 Rafale combat aircraft and three Belharra frigates for 5.5 billion euros. A new frigate was also added last year.
Furthermore, Greece is one of the countries that invests the most in its defense. It is one of the few NATO members to allocate over 3% of its GDP to defense, alongside Poland, Estonia, and Latvia. It also plans to overhaul its military over 12 years, with a budget of around 25 billion euros. The Thales order comes after the official visit of Emmanuel Macron to Athens at the end of April, when the Franco-Greek agreement was renewed.
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