Greece buys four warships with VLS, 200 missiles, and 76mm OTO guns
ATHENS, ($1=0.89 Euros) – The Greek government will increase the combat capabilities of its navy by purchasing four warships with accompanying equipment and weapons from the United States, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, citing a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency [DSCA].
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The information became public on December 10. The contract is for surface warships, and the value of the entire deal is estimated at approximately $ 6.9 billion.
What does the order of Greece include?
In addition to the four warships, the Greek fleet will receive the necessary equipment for them, such as five COMBATSS-21 combat control systems; five vertical launch systems [VLS]; two hundred BLK 2 mobile missiles; five MK 49 guided missile launch systems; eight RAM BLK 2 telemetry missiles; thirty-two anti-submarine missiles with the vertical launch [ASROC] [VLA].
To this equipment, the Greek warships will be equipped with sixteen 7.62 mm M240B machine guns with ammunition and thirty-two light torpedoes MK-54 All Up Round. TRS-4D radars are also included; common anti-aircraft modular missile [CAMM]; common modular extended-range anti-aircraft missile [CAMM-ER]; naval strike missile [NSM] RGM-184B and launchers; MK 46 Lightweight Upgrade to MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo, as well as other types of torpedoes.
The 76 mm OTO STRALES ammunition cannon will be the main cannon of Greek warships, as well as an integrated fire control system. In addition to the armament, 20-mm Narval cannons, M2A1 machine guns, and a ground defense system, and a torpedo counteraction system will be integrated.
Expectations
The sale of the new Greek warships, as well as their equipment and armaments, is expected to significantly improve the combat capability of the Greek fleet to respond appropriately and adequately to future threats.
The United States has identified the sale as strategic, as it will boost NATO’s southern flank and combat security in the eastern Mediterranean. In a press release issued by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Americans stressed the importance of the Greeks in the area, especially by supporting operations in Kosovo and their fight against parachuting in the area.
The main contractor of the project will be the Amateur company Lockheed Martin, the statement said.
Greece ordered French frigates as well
On September 28, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis signed an agreement on “establishing a strategic partnership”. The French Naval Group also offered the Greek Navy to buy three Gowind-2500 corvettes to replace the old frigates of the MEKO 200 project.
Officially – the parties do not disclose the cost of the agreement for the supply of frigates and the term of the construction of ships. But it is worth recalling that France and Greece have been negotiating the supply of Belharra ships since January 2021. Even then, the possible cost of the contract was 4 billion euros: the construction of hulls – 2.5 billion euros, the supply of weapons and other equipment for ships – another 1.5 billion euros.
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