Greek opposition parties and the Greek government have come together and approved the country’s biggest modernisation in 20 years. 2.26bn euros will be spent over the next four years in Greece to buy three Belharra frigates. These are built by France’s Naval Group and are considered to be state of the art.
Greece is expected to increase the order to four frigates and four corvettes to accompany them. Greece is concerned as tension with Turkey has been growing over territorial waters and undersea mineral wealth mining disputes. Athens would have ownership of 71.5 percent of the Aegean Sea should they claim the full 12 nautical miles of territorial water allowed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Because of this, Turkey has been a standing threat of war with 2,085 violations of Greek territorial water and 2,459 violations of its national airspace by Turkish military vessels and jets.
Read more: Greece approves its biggest naval modernisation in 20 years