Hellenic Navy
Personnel and composition of the Hellenic Navy.
| Personnel | |
|---|---|
| Officers | 3.800 |
| NCOs & Professional Sailors | 12.000 |
| Conscripts | 3.000 |
| TOTAL | 18.800 |
Total active staff is supplamented in general mobilization with reserves of 9,800 people.
| COMPOSITION OF THE NAVY | |
|---|---|
| Organization | Fleet Headquarters |
| Commands | Frigates, Submarines, Patrolboats, Gunboats, Navy Helicopters, Mine Warfare, Amphibious Forces, Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Training, Logistics, Aegean, Ionian, Northern Greece |
Anyone who visits the largest port in the country will immediately realize the need for modernizing the infrastructure dating back to the Second World War! The piers must be able to to provide uninterrupted power sypply, oil and water to berthed ships. A new autonomous monitoring system for the protection of marine facilities needs to be installed and a system for the area surveillance along with the necessary monitoring facilities need to be established at the Naval Station and eliminate the need for manning the berthed boats.
Frigates
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| F452 HYDRA | ΜΕΚΟ 200ΗΝ | 1992 |
| F453 SPETSES | ΜΕΚΟ 200ΗΝ | 1996 |
| F454 PSARA | ΜΕΚΟ 200ΗΝ | 1998 |
| F455 SALAMIS | ΜΕΚΟ 200ΗΝ | 1998 |
| F450 ELLI | Standard Batch II | 1981 |
| F451 LIMNOS | Standard Βatch I | 1982 |
| F459 ANDRIAS | Standard Βatch I | 1979 |
| F460 AIGAIO | Standard Βatch II | 1980 |
| F461 NAVARINON | Standard Βatch I | 1980 |
| F462 KOUNTOURIOTIS | Standard Βatch Ι | 1978 |
| F464 KANARIS | Standard Batch II [1] | 1983 |
| F465 THEMISTOKLIS | Standard Batch II | 1981 |
| F466 NIKIFOROS FOKAS | Standard Batch II | 1982 |
The Hellenic Navy currently operates 9 Dutch "S" type frigates (displacement of 3,500 tons) as well as 4 German "MEKO" type frigates (displacement of 3,350 tons). The aging fleet of frigates calls for the immediate acquisition of new units . The type "S" frigates were built between 1977 and 1981. Six of the frigates have undergone a mid-life modernization programme, namely the 4 Batch I and the 2 Batch II. The contract amounting to 381,578,580 euros was signed on 12 February 2003 and it was immediately criticized because the ships had already exceeded their average life expectancy.
The number of frigates in the Future Force Structure 2005 - 2020 amounts to 13 units and to maintain this number a new mid-life modernization programme for MEKO 200HN will have to be launched very soon, in order to extend the service life for these frigates. The cost of the program is estimated at 400,000,000 euros and its duration will cover the years 2021-2024.
The decision to buy 4 new frigates, combined with the modernization of the 4 MEKO frigates is expected to deliver 8 modern frigates to the fleet. The upgraded type "S" frigates will initially complete the ncessary ceiling, in the hope that some of those vessels will be replaced by used frigates offered as compensation for the purchase of the new frigates.
Submarines
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| S120 PAPANIKOLIS | Τype 214 | 2011 |
| S121 PIPINOS | Τype 214 | 2014 |
| S122 MATROZOS | Τype 214 | 2016 |
| S123 KATSONIS | Τype 214 | 2017 |
| S111 NIREAS | Τype 209/1100 [1] | 1972 |
| S112 TRITON | Τype 209/1100 | 1972 |
| S113 PROTEAS | Τype 209/1100 | 1972 |
| S116 POSEIDON | Τype 209/1200 | 1979 |
| S117 AMFITRITI | Τype 209/1200 | 1979 |
| S118 OKEANOS | Τype 209/1200 [2] | 1980 - 2014 |
| S119 PONTOS | Τype 209/1200 | 1980 |
[1] The operating unit ceiling for submarines was increased to 12 units in September 2008. The 4 submarines type GLAFKOS (Type 209/1100) underwent a mid-life modernization program between 1991 and 2000, under the Neptune I contract. Although it was initially estimated that their service life could be extended to 2015, in June 2011 the GLAFKOS submarine -the world's first conventional sub-type 209-1100 sub- was decommissioned.
[2] From the remaining submarines in service, namely the four POSEIDON type (Type 209/1200), three were scheduled to go through a mid-life modernization programme (Neptune II) between 2004 and 2012. After the completion of works for the first submarine -which was greatly delayed- it was decided to replace the remaining two with a new submarine Type 209AIP. However, the program did not go ahead.
The condition of the older upgraded Type 209/1100 submarines - despite all efforts - is not acceptable and they are not all considered as combat ready. The crews of the remaining non-upgraded Type 209/1200 submarines do everything possible to remain operational, but the vessels are already 50 years old and counting.
Gunboats and Coastal Patrols
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| Ρ266 MAXITIS | MACHITIS HSY-56A | 2003 |
| Ρ267 NIKIFOROS | MACHITIS HSY-56A | 2003 |
| Ρ268 AITITOS | MACHITIS HSY-56A | 2003 |
| Ρ269 KRATAIOS | MACHITIS HSY-56A | 2004 |
| Ρ57 KASOS | PYRPOLITIS HSY-56 | 1991 |
| P61 POLEMISTIS | PYRPOLITIS HSY-56 | 1992 |
| Ρ18 ARMATOLOS | ARMATOLOS OSPREY-55 | 1991 |
| Ρ19 NAYMACHOS | ARMATOLOS OSPREY-55 | 1990 |
| Ρ286 ANTONIOU | ANTONIOU ESTEREL | 1975 |
| Ρ287 STAMOU | ANTONIOU ESTEREL | 1975 |
| Ρ229 TOLMH | TOLMH ASHEVILLE | 1968 |
| Ρ230 ORMI | TOLMH ASHEVILLE | 1969 |
| Ρ196 ANDROMEDA | KYKNOS NASTY | 1966 |
| Ρ198 KYKNOS | KYKNOS NASTY | 1967 |
| Ρ199 PIGASOS | KYKNOS NASTY | 1967 |
| Ρ228 TOXOTIS | KYKNOS NASTY | 1967 |
Of the 18 units of surfaces vessels included in the table above, 10 were delivered in the 60s and 70s, which means that a new program is required for the construction of at least four MACHITIS type gunboats.
In 2020 the Hellenic Navy has a homogeneous fleet of 12 gunboats (8 type MACHITIS, 2 type OSPREY-55 and 2 type OSPREY HSY-55 BATCH I). As for the Coastal Patrols (Esterel & Nasty), which offer less autonomy and are mainly used for short-term surveillance (shorter than 24-hour missions) close to coast, the fleet currently consists exclusively of older ships. The renewal can be achieved either by switching other ships to this role (e.g., S148)or by acquiring new ships.
Fast Guided Missile Patrols
These small displacement ships are flexible and ideal for coastal combat environments, such as the Aegean with its special geomorphology.
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| Ρ-79 VLAHAKOS | Super Vita | - |
| Ρ-78 KARATHANASIS | Super Vita | 2020 |
| Ρ-71 RITSOS | Super Vita | 2006 |
| Ρ-70 GRIGOROPOULOS | Super Vita | 2005 |
| P-69 KRYSTALLIDIS | Super Vita | 2004 |
| P-68 DANIOLOS | Super Vita | 2003 |
| Ρ-67 ROUSSEN | Super Vita | 2002 |
| Ρ-24 KAVALOUDIS | BR-56B Combattante IIIB | 1979 |
| Ρ-26 DEGIANNIS | BR-56B Combattante IIIB | 1980 |
| Ρ-27 XENOS | BR-56B Combattante IIIB | 1981 |
| Ρ-28 SIMITZOPOULOS | BR-56B Combattante IIIB | 1980 |
| Ρ-29 STARAKIS | BR-56B Combattante IIIB | 1980 |
| Ρ-20 LASKOS | BR-56A Combattante IIIA | 1976 |
| Ρ-21 BLESSAS | BR-56A Combattante IIIA | 1976 |
| Ρ-22 MYKONIOS | BR-56A Combattante IIIA | 1977 |
| Ρ-23 TROUPAKIS | BR-56A Combattante IIIA | 1977 |
| Ρ-72 VOTSIS | Combattante IIA | 1973 |
| Ρ-73 PEZOPOULOS | La Combattante IIA | 1972 |
| Ρ-75 MARIDAKIS | La Combattante IIA | 1973 |
The BR-56A Combattante IIIA vessels are also known as S-148
With the delivery of all Super Vita vessels the fleet of Fast Guided Missile Boats operated by the Hellenic Navy includes a powerful core of modern ships, reinforced with the four LASKOS type ships. The latter, after their modernization, have been equipped with modern electronic systems incorporated by the newer Super Vita class and other ships currently in service (e.g. the upgraded Standard frigates, the gunboats type HSY-56A). Therefore, these ships remain competent and can offer their services up to 2025 - 2030. The rest of the ships (class KAVALOUDIS and S148) have not undergone a modernization program and their gradual decommissioning is considered inevitable.
Navy Aviation
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| P-3B Orion TACNAVMOD II | 5 | [1] |
| MH-60R Seahawk Romeo | 4 | On order |
| S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk | 8 | |
| S-70B Aegean Hawk | 3 | |
| AB-212 ASW Agusta Bell | 7 | |
| AB-212 EW | 2 | |
| SA-319B Allouette III | 2 | Training |
[1] Under delivery, one is not upgraded and will be used for training purposes only
Naval Weapons
| NAME | TYPE | IN SERVICE |
|---|---|---|
| Crotale NG | 2 | |
| ARTEMIS-30 (2 x 30 mm) | 5 | |
| ΜΜ-40 Exocet | 2 | Coastal Defense |
| RH-202 Rheinmetall (2x20 mm) | 183 | |
| Bofors L/60 και L/70 (40 mm) | ; |
In October 1990, the Hellenic Navy acquired two Exocet MM40 Block 2 batteries based on Renault TRM 10000 trucks, under a contract worth 7.2 billion drachmas. Each launcher is capable of carrying and firing up to 4 anti-ship MM-40 Block 2 missiles -with a maximum range of 72km- using cylindrical canisters or alternatively 2 older MM38 missiles using square canisters. The batteries have successfully performed training launches in Crete, utilizing missiles MM38 at a maximum range of 38km.
The Hellenic Navy considers that equipping an additional three islands with modern anti-ship missiles (eg NSM) will offset the numerical superiority of the Turkish Navy. NSMs are considered difficult to "block" and they offer a minimum and maximum range of 3 km and 185 km respectively. The NSM incorporates a 120kg warhead and uses GPS navigation and terrain following systems.
