The government council for foreign affairs and defense (KYSEA) will meet today to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and approve four large-scale public procurement programs in the defense sector, the newspaper reports. „Kathimerini“, reports News.bg.
The proposed programs, which have already received approval from the relevant parliamentary committee, include:
-
Modernization of four Hydra frigates of the MEKO class,
-
Maintenance and servicing of Apache attack helicopters and
-
NH-90 transport helicopters,
-
Repair of a C-130 aircraft by the Portuguese company OGMA.
The MEKO frigate modernization program, postponed for more than 15 years, aims not only to increase the combat capabilities of the ships, but also to extend their service life with at least two decades. The main activities will be carried out at the Salamis naval base, with the total cost of the project limited to 290 million euros. The main contractor is Thales Nederland BV.
According to the approved schedule, the first modernized frigate should be delivered by the end of 2028, the next two - in 2029, and the last - in 2030.