Hellenic Navy officers visited the Italian FREMM frigate Carlo Bergamini on Monday to inspect it ahead of a potential future acquisition.

The onboard inspection took place during the warship’s departure from the Salamis Naval Base.

The frigate is one of two the Hellenic Navy seeks to acquire from Italy, expected toward the end of the 2020s.

Today’s visit was mainly intended to reaffirm Greece’s interest, as the conditions and the weapons systems of the frigate are expected to change in the coming years.

Moreover, during the inspection key systems such as the radar and the anti-submarine sonar were not activated.

“We know this frigate well, but today was an opportunity to take a closer look,” sources told Kathimerini.

In the coming months, the Hellenic Navy will inspect the second Italian FREMM, Virginio Fasan, prior to the signing of a potential memorandum of understanding between Athens and Rome.

The Greek side also wishes to keep open the possibility of acquiring two additional Italian FREMMs after 2030.

Source: Ekathimerini.com