The Hydra class 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 previsioned 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 limiting the total number of vessels into four mainly after the acquisition of eight Kortenaer class frigate from Holland in the late '90. 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 has been firstly upgraded and, in August 2008, successfully completed a live firing test. The other three Hydra vessels were upgraded during 2008.
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Hydra, MEKO 200 HN |
| Builders: | Blohm + Voss , Hellenic Shipyards |
| Operators: |  Hellenic Navy |
| In commission: | 1992 - present day |
| Planned: | 6 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Cancelled: | 2 |
| Active: | F-452 Hydra F-453 Spetsae F-454 Psara F-455 Salamis |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | frigate |
| Displacement: | 3,360 tons standard, 4,000 tons full load |
| Length: | 117.5 m |
| Beam: | 14.8 m |
| Draught: | 6.0 m |
| Propulsion: | 2 shaft CODOG, controllable pitch propellers , 2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 60,656 hp 2 MTU 20V 956 diesel engines, 10,040 hp |
| Speed: | 31 knots (gas turbine), 21 knots (diesel only) |
| Range: | 4,100 nautical miles (8,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 173 22 officers, 151 enlisted men |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
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| Armament: | 1×Mk 45 Mod 2A, 2×Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS, 2 Mk141 2×2 Harpoon missile launchers, Mk 48 Mod 2 vertical launcher for 16×RIM-162 ESSM, 2 Mk32 Mod 5 2×324mm T/T for Mk46 torpedoes |
| Aviation facilities: | Hangar for 1 Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk helicopter |
