As part of an event held at the French Embassy, the Naval Group presented a long-term cooperation plan that will support the acquisition program of two frigates for the Greek Navy.
Conditions for long-term cooperation with Greek companies are sought by the French company Naval Group.
Alain Guillou, Executive Vice President for Development of the Naval Group, said: “This co-operation plan will support the Navy in achieving maritime superiority in the wider region, but also Greek industry in actively preparing for the future of naval war.”
Investments to support the FDI program
According to the announcement, Naval Group will share its knowledge and know-how with the Navy and industry to ensure the availability of ships throughout their 30-year lifespan.
As Alain Guillou explains, “We want to build a long-term partnership with Greek industry and guarantee the success of the frigate program and Greek dominance through extensive technology transfer. The domestic industry will deepen the know-how required to support the frigate life cycle.”
Ongoing support will be based on the establishment of a Digital Support Center, able to ensure and verify the integrity of the ship’s digital data.
Naval Group’s combined capabilities in digital maintenance, artificial intelligence and big data will ensure improved business availability and reduced maintenance costs.
Together with its Greek partners, the Naval Group will also support the training of both crews and Navy maintenance teams with the best simulation technologies.
France will have 5 FDI frigates (Belh@rra class).
The first of the class will be delivered in 2023 and will be put into active service in 2025.
The group plans to create an Engineering Center that will undertake the design and implementation of studies for the future standards of Belh@rra class frigates, making Greece a European center of excellence in naval innovation.
In addition to the Naval Group, the FDI program will bring in other players from the French shipbuilding/shipping industry who will invest in the country and develop partnerships with Greek companies, creating added value and jobs for the coming decades.
The FDI program is already promoting the rapprochement of the two countries’ maritime sectors with GICAN and SEKPY signing an Agreement Protocol at the same event at the French Embassy.
Increasing the industrial, naval/shipbuilding activity in Greece
The structured and long-term cooperation with Greek industry and the marine ecosystem, as proposed by the French company will promote production in Greece as well as the ability to meet future needs.
“Naval Group has been cooperating with Greek industry for many years. In particular, Sunlight is a strategic supplier for Naval submarine programs. We know the quality of the companies here and we want them to join more in our supply chain and in our various programs,” noted Alain Guillou during his speech.
Following the progress of the FDI program, 8 new Greek companies joined the international supply chain of the Naval Group at the end of 2019. Letters of Intention were signed at the event of February 13 regarding their participation in future programs of the French group. About 20 more are being considered for membership within the year.
Making Greece a center of maritime innovation
As for the program’s broader vision, Alain Guillou explains, “Belh@rra class frigates will integrate successive generations of systems into their 30-year lifespan. We want Greece to be at the center of maritime innovation.”
“We have already signed cooperation agreements with 3 universities, but we want to go further with our academic and corporate partners in order to meet the future needs of the frigates and the wider maritime industry in the future,” he continued.
The French Naval company has a strong interest in developing collaborative Research & Development projects with Greek companies, universities and research institutes in cutting-edge technologies, such as the manufacture of additives or drones.
The Naval Group aims to develop a network of technological and research projects, in order to build Greece’s future naval warfare capabilities.
During the event at the French Embassy, Naval Group signed cooperation agreements with National Technical University of Athens, the University of Patras and the University of Crete.
Naval Group also intends to support the development of Greek start-ups by creating an accelerator for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Naval Group is already working with Greek partners in the field of cybersecurity in the maritime sector, in the framework of various European programs such as CYBERMAR and PESCO Pandora. as well as H2020 projects.
Finally, France and Greece have a common need for maritime surveillance.
Naval Group proposes the creation, in collaboration with Greek partners, of industrial and commercial activity that will serve the European market from Greece.
The French company has started discussions with Greek companies in order to be placed in European research projects and to implement joint projects.
