Greek Navy: Urgent Need for New Submarines to Avoid Being Outmatched

The decommissioning of the submarine S-112 ‘Triton’, which served the Greek Navy for 53 years, has sparked significant concern. The need for new submarines grows increasingly urgent as time progresses. Currently, the Greek Navy operates nine operational submarines, but in the coming years, three ‘Poseidon’-class submarines and the ‘Nereus’, the last of the ‘Glaucus’ class, are expected to be retired. These submarines are over 45 years old, limiting their operational capabilities in today’s threat environment despite continuous maintenance by the Navy personnel. Meanwhile, Turkey’s naval program is advancing rapidly with the inclusion of state-of-the-art submarines like the ‘Piri Reis’ and plans to acquire six ‘214’ class submarines by 2029. Greece’s modernization efforts focus on upgrading the ‘Papanikolis’ class submarines and securing a contract for the ‘214’ class within the next few years. However, even if these upgrades are implemented on schedule, they may not suffice to maintain the navy’s strategic edge. Discussions with French, German, and Swedish manufacturers are ongoing, but decisions are not expected soon due to the lengthy construction timelines and the requirement for local defense industry involvement.