Greece’s extensive program to modernize its Armed Forces is expanding with another major investment in its combat fleet.
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According to Top Channel correspondent Aleksandër Marku, Athens and Rome will sign an agreement in the Italian capital on September 8 to implement Greece’s purchase of two Italian “Bergamini”-class FREMM frigates.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and the heads of the two countries’ naval forces are expected to attend the signing ceremony. The vessels to be purchased are Carlo Bergamini (F-590) and Virginio Fasan (F-591), both of which are currently serving in the Italian Navy.
Carlo Bergamini is expected to be delivered to the Hellenic Navy in the first half of 2028, while the transfer of Virginio Fasan is expected to take place during the first half of 2029.
The document between the two countries regulates the economic, technical and legal aspects of the purchase. It also includes support for the frigates after delivery and the involvement of Greek shipyards in their maintenance and the integration of new systems. The agreement also leaves open the possibility of Greece purchasing additional frigates in the future. In its announcement published on August 26, the Greek Defense Ministry did not disclose the cost of the agreement.
Industry experts estimate that the two vessels, in their current condition, could be worth around €467 million. However, the figure has not yet been officially confirmed by the Ministry.
Neither frigate is newly built. Carlo Bergamini was the first vessel in Italy’s FREMM program and was delivered to the Italian Navy in 2012. It has a “General Purpose” configuration. Virginio Fasan, delivered in December 2013, was designed specifically for anti-submarine warfare.
Each vessel is around 144 meters long, has a displacement of approximately 6,700 tons and can reach a speed of around 27 knots. Their cruising range is estimated at around 6,000 nautical miles. Their armament includes, among other systems, Aster 15/30 surface-to-air missiles, Teseo anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes.
The addition of the FREMM frigates to the fleet is only one part of the broader transformation underway in the Hellenic Navy. In January of this year, it received “Kimon,” the first new French FDI HN frigate, also known as Belharra.
Naval Group plans to deliver two more vessels to Greece during 2026, “Nearchos” and “Formion.” Meanwhile, in November 2025, Athens also signed the contract for a fourth FDI frigate, named “Themistocles.”
Once the current program is completed, the Hellenic Navy is expected to have four new FDI frigates and at least two Italian FREMM frigates. Upgrades to the existing MEKO frigates will also continue in parallel. The Defense Ministry views this combination as one of the main foundations for strengthening Greek naval power in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
The current agreement with Italy continues a series of defense investments whose pace accelerated significantly after 2020.
2018 – F-16 Viper: Athens began upgrading most of its F-16 fleet to the Viper standard. The program does not provide for the purchase of new aircraft, but it is one of the largest modernization projects undertaken by the Greek military aviation sector. Its initial budget was around $1.5 billion.
2021 – Rafale: Greece signed a contract with France for 18 Rafale fighter jets, 12 of them used and six new. A year later, Athens purchased another six new aircraft, bringing the total to 24. The final aircraft, the 24th, arrived in Greece on January 9, 2025.
2021 – M-346: The agreement between Greece and Israel to establish the International Flight Training Center in Kalamata included 10 new M-346 training aircraft, simulators and the modernization of the Greek pilot training system.
2022 – French FDI/Belharra frigates: Athens signed an agreement to purchase three FDI HN frigates, also securing an option for a fourth vessel. The initial package, which included the three frigates, their armament and support, had a maximum value of around €3.05 billion.
2024 – F-35: Greece signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the United States for 20 fifth-generation F-35A aircraft. The agreement also gives it the right to order another 20 aircraft. Deliveries of the first units are expected to begin in 2028. The U.S. authorization set a maximum ceiling of $8.6 billion for the package, which may include up to 40 aircraft and related equipment.
2025 – Fourth FDI frigate: The contract to build “Themistocles” was signed on November 14, 2025. With this order, the number of FDI frigates requested by Greece reached four.
Military cooperation with Israel and the 10 M-346 aircraft form a distinct part of this process. Athens and Tel Aviv signed the agreement to establish the International Flight Training Center in Kalamata in 2021.
The program is worth around $1.65 billion and extends over a period of approximately 20 years. It includes 10 new M-346 aircraft, simulators, training systems and support for the training aircraft fleet. The first two M-346s arrived in Kalamata in May 2023.
The project is considered one of the most important military cooperation agreements between Greece and Israel. Its aim is to train pilots to operate new-generation aircraft such as the Rafale and F-35.
The modernization plans also extend to helicopters. The Hellenic Navy has purchased seven MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, known as “Romeos,” which are used mainly in operations against submarines and surface targets.
The first three MH-60R helicopters arrived in Greece in March 2024, while the Hellenic Navy now officially states that it has seven in service. They will operate alongside the older S-70B Aegean Hawk helicopters and in coordination with the fleet’s new frigates.
An even larger project involves the Hellenic Army and provides for the acquisition of 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The contract was awarded to Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin in 2024 and, in addition to the helicopters, includes personnel training and initial support.
The United States’ authorization for the entire package had a maximum ceiling of $1.95 billion. As of August 2026, the helicopters had not yet arrived in Greece. The first Greek pilots and technicians are being trained in the U.S., while the current plan calls for the first 10 Black Hawks to be delivered during the first half of 2027.
The expansion of Greece’s arsenal is being closely monitored by Ankara amid a sensitive geopolitical climate in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. An official response from the Turkish Defense Ministry, sent to Parliament and dated August 10, 2026, states that Turkey is closely monitoring both Greece’s armament programs and Athens’ military cooperation activities in these areas.
The document was first published by Nordic Monitor and bears the signature of Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler. Particular attention is paid to the growing military ties between Greece and Israel. It acknowledges that their relations have deepened in the defense industry, technology, maneuvers and training exercises.
According to the Turkish Ministry, such cooperation may be considered acceptable as long as it is not directed against third countries and is conducted in accordance with international law. Nevertheless, Ankara emphasizes that it is monitoring the cooperation closely.
The document also addresses the Cyprus issue. Turkey states that it is determined to defend, in Ankara’s wording, its security, interests and rights, as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, an entity recognized only by Turkey.
In the strongest section of its response, the Turkish Defense Ministry states that it is making the necessary preparations and taking the necessary measures for any situation that may arise on the ground, including “crises, tensions and war.” However, the document does not claim that a confrontation is imminent and does not identify either Greece or Israel as a specific adversary in any war scenario.
