Greece is set to receive its first FDI HN frigate, Kimon (F 601) at the end of 2025. (Naval Group)
French maritime technologies company Exail has been selected by Naval Group to provide the navigation systems that will equip the Kimon-class Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention Hellenic Navy (FDI HN) multimissionfrigates.
Announcing the contract award on 3 July, Exail said the scope of supply includes the company's Marins inertial navigation system (INS), Netans data distribution unit, and Gecdis-W warship electronic chart display and information system (WECDIS) – all of which will be integrated within the frigates' advanced cyber-secure digital architecture.
French shipbuilder Naval Group is building three FDI frigates for the HN under a contract signed in March 2022, which also includes in-service support and an option for a fourth frigate. The FDI HN is the export version of the five Amiral Ronarc'h-class frigates being built for the French Navy – and is Naval Group's first export order for the type.
Exail's Marins series, which is based on fibre-optic gyroscope technology, is the highest-grade INS in the company's portfolio and will provide the FDI frigates with uninterrupted, highly accurate navigation data even in global navigation satellite services (GNSS)-denied environments.
All of the Marins INS series have a heading accuracy of 0.01° and a pitch roll accuracy of 0.01°. Positional accuracy is dependent on the Marins model employed – ranging from the Marins M3, which provides positional accuracy (without GNSS aiding) to within 1 n mile for every 12 h travelled, to the Marins M11, which is responsible for a maximum drift of 1 n mile for every 360 h travelled.
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
