The Hellenic MoD has announced that the French Naval Group has launched the second Kimon-class FDI frigate, Nearchos (F-602).
The second Greek FDI frigate will leave the shipyard for electronics, weapons, and sensors fitting. Nearchos alongside Kimon (F-601) is planned to be delivered in 2025, with the additional 16 Sylver VLS cells previously spotted this year. Construction of the third frigate, Formion (F-603), is ongoing.
During the launch of the second Kimon-class frigate, the Greek Minister of Defence Nikos Dendias reiterated the country's interest in the fourth ship, which has been a subject of negotiation for some time.
He also added that the frigates will be able to use MdCN land attack cruise missiles (LACM). MdCN, developed from SCALP EG air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM), was developed for Sylver A70 strike-length VLS cells.
Adding MdCN cruise missiles with a range of 1000+ km gives an offensive side to the ships originally oriented towards air defence with Aster-15/30 missiles. MdCN cruise missiles in the armament might be the reason for switching to extended VLS capacity to conserve cells for air defence missiles.
MdCN is in use by the French Navy's FREMM frigates and Suffren-class submarines and has been used in support of the joint cruise missile strike on Syria in 2018.
Integration of MdCN cruise missiles on Kimon-class frigates can be considered a politically risky move in the Aegean Sea and Mediterranean due to the solely offensive purpose of shipborne land attack cruise missiles.
