ATHENS, Sept 19 (Askume) – Greece will start talks to buy a fourth naval warship from France, the country’s defence minister said on Thursday, as it looks to bolster its navy and recover from a decade-long debt crisis.
Greece agreed in 2021 to spend 3 billion euros (about $3.34 billion) to buy three new Belhara frigates, including an option to buy one more, as it aims to replace ageing ships that have been in the navy for more than 30 years.
“I am pleased to announce today that Greece intends to start negotiations to purchase another warship, the fourth of its kind,” Nikos Dendias said at the Lorien shipyard in France. He did not give further details.
Dendias, speaking at the launching ceremony of France’s second warship, said three of the four Belhara missiles would be capable of carrying the Scalp navy cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres (621.37 miles).
Athens has developed a 10-year, multibillion-dollar procurement plan that includes the purchase of 40 new F-35 fighter jets from the United States and Rafale fighter jets from France.
Its defense issues include disagreements with NATO ally Turkey. The two countries have long disagreed on a number of issues, such as where the continental shelf begins and ends, energy, flights across the Aegean Sea and the ethnically divided island of Cyprus.
Greece plans to buy Switchblade drones from the United States to complement Spike anti-tank missiles which Athens plans to launch on Aegean islands, officials told Askume on Wednesday .
“They will contribute to the construction of the rocket wall in the Aegean Sea,” Dendias said.
