France News

Greece has signed a deal to buy 16 anti-ship missiles from France, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday (April 14).The agreement for the French-built Exocet missiles was signed by Dendias and France's Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu who is visiting Athens. The cost of the deal was not disclosed.Under a defence pact with France signed in 2021, Greece agreed to buy three French frigates and some 24 Dassault-made Rafale fighter jets.In addition, Greece has said it will buy a fourth Belharra frigate and cruise missiles from France, as part of a 25-billion-euro defence plan by 2036 to modernise its armed forces as it seeks to keep pace with its neighbour and historical rival Turkey.(Reuters)

Generally, government owned vessels, particularly ones engaged in law enforcement, are seemingly last in line when it comes to fuel efficiency. Not so in France, as the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGAMPA), in late 2024 sealed the deal and commissioned the SOCARENAM-MAURIC consortium to design and build an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which combines hybrid propulsion and wind sails, among other energy saving/emission reduction enhancements.According to the government agency…