Two Greek navy frigates, Kimon and Psara, arrived at the port of Limassol on Tuesday, forming what officials described as a protective shield for Cyprus and the wider region.
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias referred to the deployment during remarks at the presidential palace on Monday.
“Psara is equipped with the ‘Centaur’ system for countering unmanned aerial vehicles, a system produced by the Greek innovation ecosystem and successfully tested during the European Union’s ASPIDES mission in the Red Sea,” Dendias said.
He added that the Kimon frigate “is the most modern frigate on the planet”.
Capabilities of the Kimon frigate
The Kimon, a frontline FDI HN (Belharra)-class vessel of the Hellenic Navy, is the fleet’s most advanced air defence platform.
The frigate is equipped with 32 vertical launch cells for Aster 30 missiles, providing long-range area air defence capability.
It also features the Sea Fire AESA radar system, capable of simultaneously tracking multiple aerial targets, along with the SETIS combat management system.
Additional equipment includes anti-air and anti-submarine weapons and a 76mm naval gun.
The platform is designed to provide air defence coverage across a wide operational radius, supporting regional air defence missions in the eastern Mediterranean.
Psara and the Centaur anti-drone system
The Psara frigate, a MEKO 200HN-class vessel, carries ESSM missiles for medium-range air defence and the CIWS Phalanx close-in defence system, as well as integrated surveillance radars.
Of particular significance is the presence of the Greek-developed electronic warfare system “Centaur”, which has been integrated into units of the Hellenic Navy.
Developed by the Hellenic Aerospace Industry, Centaur is a soft-kill electronic warfare system designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles.
The system detects and disrupts the communication and guidance signals of drones, disabling them through electronic interference without the use of weapons.
It has already been tested operationally on naval surface units.
In modern conflicts, where drone attacks have become a central feature of warfare, the presence of such systems is considered increasingly important for countering low-cost and low-signature threats.
