Overview
- Thales signed a contract with Greece’s General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments on Monday to begin a mid‑life upgrade of all four MEKO 200HN Hydra‑class frigates and said it will start implementation immediately.
- The upgrade will install the latest Tacticos combat management system, the NS100 software‑defined AESA radar for medium‑to‑long‑range surveillance and weapons support, and the STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 electro‑optical fire‑control sensor for precision targeting.
- Thales and Greek defence firms will carry out most installation and sustainment work in Greece, with the company’s local service hub providing ongoing support to keep the ships operational in country.
- The program aims to extend the frigates’ operational life by improving situational awareness, target tracking and fire‑control accuracy and to maintain interoperability with NATO fleets through proven, widely fielded systems and high cybersecurity standards.
- The four Hydra frigates first entered service in the late 1990s and were built in Germany and Greece, and the contract builds on Thales’ multi‑decade presence in Greece while creating local jobs and in‑country maintenance capacity; delivery and installation schedules are the next items to watch.