“On January 16, we received a letter from the US Navy, acknowledging our interest in participating in the design and production of seven advanced Constellation-class frigates in Greek shipyards,” Minister Dendias told the media.
These remarks by the Greek Defence Minister confirm unofficial reports from a few years ago, which had suggested Greece’s interest in American frigates in addition to the already known LCS plans. It is speculated that the Greek frigates might be smaller than American version of Constellation-class frigates.
However, the decision to opt for the American direction rather than a European one raises questions, considering that the Constellation-class is based on the Franco-Italian FREMM project. Greece is also in the process of building three French-designed FDI frigates (Kimon-class), indicating close ties with France and the potential for acquiring original FREMM designs.
This shift may be seen as part of a political move towards closer relations with Washington, further evidenced by the recent approval from the U.S. State Department for the sale of 40 F-35 aircraft to Greece.
