Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 17, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
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Greece's KYSEA approves a fourth Belharra frigate from France to modernize its navy amid tensions with Turkey.
ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece's security council, KYSEA, approved on Wednesday the purchase of a fourth Belharra frigate from France to modernise its armed forces and as it tries to keep pace with historic rival Turkey, two government sources told Reuters.
Greece has a long-standing dispute with its NATO ally Turkey over maritime waters, and the security council meeting comes after Ankara said it would conduct scientific research in the Aegean Sea in the coming days.
Athens agreed in 2021 to procure new Belharra frigates for about 3.0 billion euros ($3.3 billion), with an option for one more, as it aims to replace old vessels that have operated for more than 30 years in its navy.
"KYSEA approved the procurement of a fourth Belharra frigate from France," said a senior government official, without giving details on the cost.
A second official confirmed the purchase.
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said earlier on Wednesday, after a presentation to KYSEA, that the new frigate would carry ballistic missiles.
The purchase is expected to be approved by a parliamentary committee in the coming days.
Greece plans to spend more than 25 billion euros in the next 10 years as part of a multi-year defence plan, which includes new F-35 fighter jets from the U.S., new submarines, new air, sea and underwater drones and an anti-aircraft dome, called the "Achilles Shield".
(Reporting by Lefteris PapadimasEditing by Mark Potter)
A frigate is a type of warship that is typically used for escorting larger vessels and protecting them from threats, often equipped with various weapons and sensors.
Ballistic missiles are weapons that are launched into the air and follow a ballistic trajectory to deliver a payload to a predetermined target.
The Belharra frigate is a class of advanced naval vessels designed for multi-mission capabilities, including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.
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