Greek MEKO frigates: Intracom Defense’s technical offer accepted for new communications systems

Greece’s MEKO frigate communications upgrade has advanced to its next procurement stage, with the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments accepting the technical offer submitted by Intracom Defense (IDE). The company has been invited to the opening of its financial offer on October 12, 2026.

The decision was signed on October 2 by Major General Ioannis Bouras, the directorate’s director general, and published on Greece’s Diavgeia transparency portal on October 5. It concerns tender 06/25 for upgrading the communications systems of the Hellenic Navy’s MEKO frigates.

The official technical evaluation decision sets the financial-offer opening for Monday, October 12, at 10:00, at the directorate’s premises, before the tender committee.

A €9.98 million communications programme

The programme carries a maximum budget of €9,980,000. Its December 9, 2025 tender notice specifies a negotiated procedure following publication of a contract notice, with the lowest price as the award criterion. The budget includes deductions, taxes, duties and other contract costs; the procurement is exempt from VAT because the equipment is intended for warships.

The Hellenic Navy’s equipment programme was activated on October 20, 2025. The tender notice followed in December, setting out the selection process for the communications upgrade.

Four bidders qualified for the subsequent stage: Ariexpo Engineering, drawing on the experience of Portugal’s EID; Aeroporikes Ypiresies, drawing on Rohde & Schwarz Benelux; Intracom Defense; and Thales Hellas, drawing on Thales SIX GTS France.

The directorate invited those bidders on April 30, 2026 to submit technical and financial offers. The submission deadline was extended twice in June. The latest decision records the offer filed by IDE on July 31 and the tender committee’s technical evaluation minutes dated September 16.

Financial evaluation remains ahead

Technical acceptance is not a contract award. The financial offer must still be opened and evaluated, followed by selection of a provisional contractor and examination of the required supporting documents before a contract can be signed.

This communications tender is a separate procedure from the MEKO main weapons and electronic systems upgrade contracted with Thales Nederland. The directorate’s official contract announcement records that agreement’s signing on May 22, 2026.

IDE’s financial offer is the next item scheduled for examination, at the October 12 session specified in the new decision.