Here’s how Fincantieri’s corvettes remain on pole in Greece
The choice for the new corvettes of the Hellenic Navy is approaching and Fincantieri still remains the favorite. An in-depth study by Giovanni Martinelli
In recent days, various Greek media have given wide prominence to a meeting of the "Naval Supreme Council" of the Hellenic Navy, that is the highest decision-making body of the Athens Navy. At the center of the meeting, an update of the future development plans of its surface fleet.
Plans which, as is known, have already had a first step with the decision to purchase the 3 FDI frigates (Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention) from France, hereinafter referred to as the Kimon class. The first of these is already under construction at the Lorient shipyard; structure belonging to Naval Group which was awarded the contract in question. And with respect to this program, the Hellenic Navy seems to already intend to take a further step.
The original contract provided for the option to build a fourth frigate. An important choice not only from a strictly operational but (also) economic point of view. Indeed, one of the cornerstones of the Athens fleet update plans is in fact represented by the availability of a predefined budget; about 5.5 billion euros.
With this sum it is foreseen, in fact, the acquisition of new frigates (the FDI themselves, at a cost of about € 3 billion) and the updating of 4 other Hydra class frigates already in service (estimated cost, around to € 600 million); with the remaining 2 billion to be allocated to the acquisition of 4 corvettes. It is therefore evident that if the Hellenic Navy decided to exercise the option for a fourth FDI, the funds available for the latter would inevitably be reduced.
So much so that according to well-informed sources, this last program could undergo a downsizing; with the forecast of initially buying 3 units while the fourth would remain only as an option. In any case, no official communications have arrived to date; therefore, still officially, there is still talk of 4 corvettes and, more in detail, of a competition now limited only to Fincantieri and to the Naval Group itself (while the Dutch Damen shipyards now appear out of the game).
With the interesting fact represented by the fact that the proposal presented by the Italian shipbuilding group would still have an advantage over the French one; moreover, thanks to a number of solid reasons. It would be ahead because it is economically more advantageous; specifically, there is talk of € 2.1 billion against € 2.2 and a more favorable overall financial plan for Athens.
Then it would also be so from an industrial point of view; given that Fincantieri itself has already entered into agreements with local industrial entities (as did Leonardo and Elettronica) and because in the end the possibility of building some units directly in Greece appears more concrete (through the Elefsis Shipyards just acquired by the ONEX group, the which at the time made agreements with the Trieste shipbuilding group).
Finally, also from the point of view of the product. In fact, called FCX-30HN, Fincantieri's proposal is based on the Doha or Al Zaburah class corvettes built for the Qatar Navy .
Platforms 107 meters long and 14.7 wide, with a displacement of over 3,250 tons, whose propulsion is ensured by 4 diesel engines that allow maximum speeds in the order of 28 knots and a range of over 3,500 miles per cruising speed of 15 knots. All this, in the face of a crew of 98 men but with the availability of another 14 beds.
In other words, not only platforms with already important dimensions but which still retain further growth margins; moreover, those offers from Greece would end up requiring even few adjustments with respect to the Doha. In fact, both the framework of the main sensors (in particular, Leonardo's advanced Kronos radar), and that of the ever main weapon systems (i.e., Leonardo's 76/62 Super Rapido artillery piece, again, should remain intact, the 8 anti-ship missiles Exocet MM40 Block 3 and the system for the defense of point RAM or Rolling Airframe Missile).
The aeronautical equipment (represented by the possibility of embarking a medium helicopter) and the already excellent capabilities of electronic warfare and countermeasures (mainly against anti-ship missiles and torpedoes) would also be unchanged; the latter, a theme deeply felt by the Athens Navy.
In fact, the only significant changes would be the addition of a hull sonar (to give it greater capabilities in the anti-submarine fight) and the replacement of the 16 long-range Aster 30 missiles of the Qatariote units with at least 24 CAMM anti-aircraft missiles. -ER (Common Anti-Air Missile-Extended Range) at medium range. In fact, the Hellenic Navy does not foresee air defense as the main mission for its new units, preferring them instead to be more multi-role.
On the surface, therefore, there would seem to be (almost) no competition; Naval Group's offer is in fact shown to be less advantageous / performing than all the points listed above: financial, industrial, platform quality. The point, however, is that the French also have points in favor; some logistical commonality with the FDI and a more than likely strong relaunch of the offer as a whole.
But above all, what could play a decisive role is the political-diplomatic weight of Paris towards Athens. In fact, France has openly sided with Greece in all the latter's latest disputes with Turkey; support clearly expressed through the (decidedly "robust") Franco-Greek agreement in the field of Defense, signed in September 2021.
However, it is certain that it will not be necessary to wait much longer to know the outcome of this competition. In fact, by 2022 the choice of Athens will arrive; also because, net of the changed economic situation that could also have repercussions, the fact remains that the Hellenic Navy has a strong need for new ships and also in the shortest possible time.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/ecco-come-le-corvette-di-fincantieri-restano-in-pole-in-grecia/ on Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:15:15 +0000.