Babcock's proposal is based on its Arrowhead 140 design. (Babcock)
UK shipbuilder Babcock has submitted its updated proposal to the Greek government to meet the requirements of the second phase of the Hellenic Navy's modernisation objectives. This follows the recent Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) acquisition for the first phase.
The UK offer includes newbuild Arrowhead 140 (AH140) frigates and the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the four Hydra-class (MEKO 200HN) frigates with common equipment.
The offer follows a second visit to Greece in May by Babcock, Thales UK, MBDA UK, and the UK Department for International Trade's (DIT's) Defence and Security Exports (DSE) team to discuss the proposal with the General Directorate for Defense Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) and the Hellenic Navy evaluation committee. The UK Export Finance (UKEF) organisation has also indicated to the Greek government its interest in providing support for the programme and the performance of work in Greece.
Jonathan Walton, vice-president for business development, Babcock International Group's marine sector, told Janes that Babcock has the strategic intention to support the modernisation of the Hellenic Navy fleet and is offering a frigate-sized vessel for the corvette programme.
“We are tailoring our AH140 proposal to meet all the requirements of the Hellenic Navy, with the benefit of a larger vessel that provides superior presence and adaptability to meet evolving through-life operational needs,” Walton said. “Due to the modular build characteristics, the vessels' blocks can be constructed at different locations through a distributed build strategy. It is fast to build. The UK programme is scheduled at two years from steel-cutting to float-out.”
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