The Hydra class[1][2] are a group of four frigates in service with the Hellenic Navy. They were designed in Germany and are part of the MEKO group of modular warships, in this case the MEKO 200 design. The programme was authorised in 1988 and partially paid for with FMS aid and provisioned for the commission of six vessels. The first ship was built in Germany and commissioned in 1992 but suffered a serious fire while working up near Portland, England. Repairs were completed in 1993. The Greek built warships were delayed due to financial problems on the part of the Hellenic Shipyards completing in the late 1990s which also led to limiting the total number of vessels to four mainly after the acquisition of eight Kortenaer-class frigates from the Netherlands in the late 1990s.
HS Spetsai transits the Mediterranean Sea during Phoenix Express (2008)
In 2007, an upgrade of the STIR fire control system to allow the firing of the RIM-162 ESSM surface-to-air missile was launched. Salamis was the first to be upgraded and, in August 2008, successfully completed a live firing test. The other three Hydra vessels were upgraded during 2008.
On April 25, 2018 the Greek defense minister Panos Kammenos announced that the modernization of the four vessels is in progress but without presenting any further details about the program.[3]
In May 2019, the Joint Chiefs of General Staff Council (ΣΑΓΕ) decided the commencement of the modernization program for the four ships of the class.[4] The program was finally approved by the Greek Parliament in April 2023.[5]
hydra, class, frigate, hydra, class, group, four, frigates, service, with, hellenic, navy, they, were, designed, germany, part, meko, group, modular, warships, this, case, meko, design, programme, authorised, 1988, partially, paid, with, provisioned, commissio. The Hydra class 1 2 are a group of four frigates in service with the Hellenic Navy They were designed in Germany and are part of the MEKO group of modular warships in this case the MEKO 200 design The programme was authorised in 1988 and partially paid for with FMS aid and provisioned for the commission of six vessels The first ship was built in Germany and commissioned in 1992 but suffered a serious fire while working up near Portland England Repairs were completed in 1993 The Greek built warships were delayed due to financial problems on the part of the Hellenic Shipyards completing in the late 1990s which also led to limiting the total number of vessels to four mainly after the acquisition of eight Kortenaer class frigates from the Netherlands in the late 1990s HS Spetsai transits the Mediterranean Sea during Phoenix Express 2008 Class overviewNameHydra MEKO 200 HNBuildersBlohm Voss Hellenic ShipyardsOperators Hellenic NavyIn commission1992 presentPlanned6Completed4Cancelled2Active4General characteristicsTypeFrigateDisplacement3 360 tons standard 4 000 tons full loadLength117 5 m 385 ft 6 in Beam14 8 m 48 ft 7 in Draught6 0 m 19 ft 8 in Propulsion2 shaft CODOG controllable pitch propellers 2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 60 656 hp 45 231 kW 2 MTU 20V 956 diesel engines 10 040 hp 7 490 kW Speed31 knots 57 km h 36 mph gas turbine 21 knots 39 km h 24 mph diesel only Range4 100 nmi 7 600 km 4 700 mi at 18 knots 33 km h 21 mph Complement173 22 officers 151 enlistedSensors and processing systemsSignaal MW08 air search radar Signaal DA08 air surface radar 2 Signaal STIR fire control radar Racal Decca 2690 BT navigation radar Raytheon SQS 56 DE 1160 hull mounted and VDS sonar SLQ 25 Nixie torpedo decoy Mk XII Mod 4 IFF radar 2 Signaal Mk 73 Mod 1 radar for ESSM Signaal STACOS Mod 2 combat data system SAR 8 IR searcherElectronic warfare amp decoysArgo AR 700 ESM system Telegon 10 ESM system Argo APECS II ECM system 4 SCLAR decoy launchersArmament1 Mk 45 Mod 2A 5 gun 2 Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS 2 Mk141 2 4 Harpoon missile launchers Mk 48 Mod 2 vertical launcher for 32 RIM 162 ESSM 2 Mk32 Mod 5 2 324mm T T for Mk46 torpedoesAviation facilitiesHangar for 1 Sikorsky S 70B 6 Aegean Hawk helicopter Contents 1 Upgrade programs 2 Ships 3 See also 4 Gallery 5 References 6 SourcesUpgrade programs editIn 2007 an upgrade of the STIR fire control system to allow the firing of the RIM 162 ESSM surface to air missile was launched Salamis was the first to be upgraded and in August 2008 successfully completed a live firing test The other three Hydra vessels were upgraded during 2008 On April 25 2018 the Greek defense minister Panos Kammenos announced that the modernization of the four vessels is in progress but without presenting any further details about the program 3 In May 2019 the Joint Chiefs of General Staff Council SAGE decided the commencement of the modernization program for the four ships of the class 4 The program was finally approved by the Greek Parliament in April 2023 5 Ships editShip Namesake Builder Commissioned StatusF 452 Hydra Ydra Hydra Blohm Voss November 12 1992 In serviceF 453 Spetsai Spetsai Spetses Hellenic Shipyards October 24 1996 In serviceF 454 Psara PSara Psara Hellenic Shipyards April 30 1998 In serviceF 455 Salamis Salamis Salamis Hellenic Shipyards December 16 1998 In serviceSee also editList of naval ship classes in service Vasco da Gama class frigate built for Portugal Anzac class frigate built for Australia and New Zealand Barbaros class frigate Built for the Turkish Navy Valour class frigate MEKO A 200 frigates built for the South African NavyGallery edit nbsp HS Spetsai transits alongside the Military Sealift Command container and roll on roll off ship USNS LCPL Roy M Wheat nbsp HS Psara nbsp HS Salamis nbsp A view from USS Seattle showing HS Psara underway conducting a replenishment at sea in 2002 nbsp HS Hydra in 2022References edit Hydra class MEKO 200HN frigates article with many photos in seaforces org Hydra class frigates of the Hellenic Navy presentation in naval technology com The 4 Hydra class frigates to be modernized onalert gr 25 04 2018 in Greek Archived 2018 06 28 at the Wayback Machine Article about the modernization program of MEKO 200HN frigates in the defense online magazine Defencepoint gr in Greek 19 05 2019 https armstrade org includes periodics news 2023 0425 152072833 detail shtmlSources editConway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1947 1995 Hellenic Navy website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hydra class frigate amp oldid 1151977003, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
