The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attended yesterday, Monday June 30, as a representative of Prime Minister, the Inspection of the Fleet by the President of the Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas, whom he welcomed at Akti Miaouli in the port of Piraeus and accompanied at sea on the frigate “SPETSAI” in the Saronic Gulf.
The Inspection was also attended by the MP Sofia Voultsepsi, as a representative of the President of the Hellenic Parliament, the Chief HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras, the Chief HAFGS Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, the Commander of the Hellenic Coast Guard Vice Admiral Tryfon Kontizas, the Commander in Chief of the Hellenic Fleet Vice Admiral Christos Sasiakos, the members of the Higher Naval Council, as well as the Chairman of “Aikaterini Laskaridi” Foundation Rear Admiral Panos Laskaridis.
In his statement at the end of the Inspection, Mr. Dendias noted:
“The Naval Week and the Fleet Inspection in the context of the Naval Week, with the presence of the President of the Republic Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, constitutes an element of timeless naval tradition of the Nation.
It highlights the timeless relationship of Greece, the Greek people, society with the sea. As you know, the Hellenic Navy constitutes a structural pillar of our defence and its reinforcement through the “Agenda 2030” is not a mere upgrade of its capabilities.
It reflects a change of doctrine, a new deterrent national strategy. New units, advanced weapons and communication systems, but now also artificial intelligence and the integration of innovation, all of this is part of the holistic approach that we have called “Achilles’ Shield”.
The “Achilles’ Shield” liberates the modern weapon systems of the Hellenic Navy, from the narrow limits of a territorial defence.
It transforms them with their new capabilities into strategic weapons of deterrence. New Belharra frigates and the strategic weapons and anti-aircraft defence of the area they possess to replace the older non-modernized S-type frigates.
Finally, the modernization of the MEKO frigates by our Navy itself is progressing, as well as the modernization of the Roussin vessels, the modernization of the type 214 submarines, which have also acquired new torpedoes, new fast patrol boats, new support ships, new Seahawk helicopters, new vertical take-off drones, the Centaurus anti-drones, new operational interconnection, command and control systems.
Also, we are starting a process that will bring us unmanned sea vessels on and under the sea.
But we are also looking to the future. Participation in the design of the new Constellation frigate, participation in the design of the Eurocorvette, the design of a Greek ship for the first time, which the Navy will share with the Coast Guard.
And all of this with an institutionalized participation of the Greek Defence Industry at a rate of 25%. We are also starting the discussion on the acquisition of new submarines. In the next decade of course. Submarines are not produced quickly.
And all this in a new institutionalized framework, within the existing fiscal space that guarantees respect for the deficit of the Greek taxpayer. Every euro should be spent with absolute transparency.
However, I should like to say that all of the above leads to a Navy ten times more powerful than anything Hellenism has known to date. And I do not use the number without an absolute measurement of the object. This would not be possible without the human factor, the women and men of the Navy for whom a very great effort has been made to improve their financial earnings.
Either as cadets at the Naval Cadet School or later with the successive increases, the last of which shall take place, as the Prime Minister has reiterated, on October 1st 2025.
This leads to an effort to improve the quality of life of them and their families.
Concluding: Naval Week is precisely the point in time at which we must reflect on the enormous role of the Hellenic Navy, the New Hellenic Navy in the 21st century. The great potential it has and the enormous service it offers to the homeland, defending our sovereignty and sovereign rights within the framework of the holistic approach that the “Agenda 2030” requires.
I should like to congratulate the women and men of the Navy for their exceptional presence today during the inspection of the Fleet by the President of the Republic”.
