In September 2021, the government of Greece (
First Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis) signed an agreement with
France's
Naval Group to purchase three FDI HN frigates with an option for one more for the Hellenic Navy as part of a €3 billion ($3.34bn) defence package. It was reported that the Hellenic Navy ships would eventually carry a more extensive weapons fit, capable of carrying up to 32
Aster-30 air defence missiles. This will permit the Hellenic Navy to operate three ships with 32 air defence missiles plus 21 point defence missiles in a Mk31 21-cell launcher of
RAM Block 2B On 19 September 2024 during the event of launching ceremony for the frigate
Nearchos, the
Defense Minister announced that Greece is starting procedures to acquire a fourth frigate of the same type. He also revealed that Greece will proceed with the order of strategic
MdCN missiles. This was later confirmed by the
Prime Minister of Greece Mitsotakis via social media. with the actual contract for the construction of the ships having been signed on 24 March 2022. In February 2022, documents released by the
Hellenic Parliament indicated that initially the first two frigates for the Hellenic Navy would be equipped similar to their French counterparts in a "Standard-1" configuration (with 16 Sylver A50 cells). By 2027 the two ships would be upgraded to a "Standard-2" configuration with 32 A-50 cells as well as with the RAM Block 2B. The third Hellenic Navy frigate would be built from the outset in the "Standard-2" configuration. Since 2022, 70 contracts have been signed with Greek companies participating in the frigates' construction, involving vessels for both the Greek and French navies. In addition to other contracts, contracts concerning construction of pre-outfitted blocks in Salamis Shipyards and shipment to France for assembly, start from the third Greek frigate and involve both Greek and French frigates. In May 2025, a MoU was signed with
Hellenic Aerospace Industry on integrating the latter's counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) aboard the frigates. In 2024 it was decided to adjust the production sequence by reassigning the fourth and fifth vessels in the production series. The fourth vessel (the previous
Amiral Louzeau - D661), previously assigned to France, would instead be allocated to Greece, while the fifth ship in the series (the previous
Formion - F603), previously assigned to Greece, would be destined for the
French Navy instead. Each vessel would be renamed accordingly. It was unclear how this reallocation might impact the original intent to have the third Greek FDI built in an enhanced "Standard-2" configuration. In October 2025, the Greek parliament ratified the amendment to the original purchase agreement, to include the fourth FDI vessel, named Themistocles The lead ship of the class,
Kimon, was officially delivered and commissioned to the Hellenic Navy on 18 December 2025, in a ceremony attended by Greek Minister of Defense Nikos Dendias, his French counterpart,
Catherine Vautrin, General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, and Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras, Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff. It travelled to Brest under the Greek flag, for its weapons to be delivered. The ship arrived in Greece and was received on 15 January 2026. ==Operational history==