The Turks had scheduled the commissioning ceremony of the F/G ISTANBUL (F515) frigate for September 6, 2023, coinciding with the anniversary of the pogrom against Greeks in Constantinople.
However, this milestone has been lost as the ship is still undergoing sea trials without the complete installation of equipment. There are rumors that the new date for the integration into the Turkish Navy will be October 29, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish state, almost 6 years after the commencement of construction.
While this bus happening The "technical launch" of the first FDI HN for the Hellenic Navy.
The launching ceremony for Kimon with Greek and French officials will take place on October 4 2023.
In 2022, Greece inked an agreement for the procurement of three (plus one optional) Defense and Intervention Frigates (FDI) in their Hellenic Navy (HN) configuration, along with their weapons package and integrated logistics support (ILS).
The new ship will be the first new major surface combatant after 25 years when the last Hydra-class (MEKO 200HN) frigate Salamis was commissioned. Τhe entry into service of Kimon in 2025 will mark the beginning of a new era for Greece’s naval capabilities as several characteristics of the new frigate are introduced for the first time in the Navy. However, the most crucial addition the new frigate will introduce to the fleet is the integration of the ASTER 30 SAM system paired with the cutting-edge SEAFIRE radar.
Boasting an array of state-of-the-art sensors and weapons capable of facilitating a wide spectrum of modern naval operations, the FDI HN unquestionably will be one of the most powerful surface combatants in its class and one of the most sophisticated designs on a global scale. Bringing together the best of naval technologies on a compact platform, the 4,550-ton FDI HN is a powerful, multipurpose and innovative frigate with the highest degrees of automation and control, designed to meet the evolution of threats.
