Greece Welcomes Frigate Kimon as Aegean Tensions Rise

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will attend the official at-sea reception of the frigate Kimon on Thursday, January 15, at 11:00, marking a landmark moment for the Hellenic Navy’s modernisation programme.

The ceremony will take place in the Saronic Gulf and will also be attended by Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias and President of the Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas. The Kimon is the first Greek FDI HN Belharra-class frigate and represents the most significant addition to Greece’s naval fleet in decades.

The presence of the country’s political and institutional leadership highlights the strategic importance of the new warship, which is expected to substantially enhance Greece’s maritime defence capabilities and its role in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish Reaction and Rising Tensions

The imminent arrival of Kimon has also been linked to a renewed spike in tensions between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean Sea. According to Greek defence sources, Ankara reacted strongly to the deployment of the advanced frigate by sending armed F-16 fighter jets into the region, undermining recent efforts to maintain calm.

The Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA) announced back in December 19, 2025, two armed Turkish F-16s carried out one airspace violation and one flight rule infringement, engaging in a mock dogfight with Greek fighter jets that were scrambled to intercept them. The incident, which took place between the islands of Lemnos and Lesvos, marked the first aerial engagement between Greek and Turkish combat aircraft in nearly three years.

In addition, a Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle committed two flight rule violations, while a Turkish ATR-72 maritime patrol aircraft carried out one infringement and six airspace violations, further escalating tensions. All aircraft were intercepted by Greek air defence forces in accordance with international procedures, with defence officials warning that the manoeuvres carried a high risk of accidental escalation.

Defence analysts note that the delivery of Kimon—the first new warship received by Greece in almost 28 years since the frigate Salamis—has altered the regional balance of power. The state-of-the-art frigate is considered one of the most powerful surface combatants in the Mediterranean, equipped with advanced radar systems, long-range air defence missiles, and modern anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities.

Greek officials have compared the ship’s technological leap to that of the historic cruiser Georgios Averof more than a century ago, while analysts say Turkey’s reaction underscores the fragile nature of stability in the Aegean as Greece moves forward with strengthening its naval deterrence.