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Greek frigate Hydra

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The Hydra at Piraeus
Hydra (F-452) (Φ/Γ Ύδρα (F-452)
History
Greece
Namesakethe Hydra Island
BuilderBlohm + Voss
LaunchedJune 25, 1991
Commissioned1992
Fatein active service
NotesOfficial Hellenic Navy page
General characteristics
Class and typeHydra class frigate
Displacement3,350 tons
Length117 m
Beam14.8 m
Draft6 m
Propulsionlist error: <br /> list (help)
[2 shaft CODOG, controllable pitch propellers ,
2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines 60,656 hp
2 MTU 20V 956 diesel engines, 10,040 hp
Speedlist error: <br /> list (help)
31-knot (57 km/h) maximum
20-knot (37 km/h) cruise
Range4,100 nm at 16 kts (diesels)
Complement173
Sensors and
processing systems
list error: mixed text and list (help)
  • Signaal 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 searcher
Electronic warfare
& decoys
list error: mixed text and list (help)
  • Argo AR 700 ESM system
  • Telegon 10 ESM system
  • Argo APECS II ECM system
  • 4 SCLAR decoy launchers
Armamentlist error: <br /> list (help)
Mk 45 Mod 2A,
Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS,
2 Mk141 4×8 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
Aircraft carried1
Aviation facilitiesHangar for 1 Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk helicopter

It has been built in the ship yards Blohm and Voss after the order of the Greek Government. It was the first from four frigates of this type (HYDRA, SPETSAI, PSARA and SALAMIS). It was delivered in the Greek Martial Navy on 15 October 1992 with first Commanding Officer the CommanderA. Papahristodoulou HN. It sailed into in Greece on 28 January 1993. Crest:The Crest of the Frigate Hydra is the same as those of her predecessors. It has been actually designed as a copy of one of the versions of the flag, under which the ships of Hydra sailed during the 1821 revolution. This Flag and consequently the crest designed after it, depicts the Cross as a symbol of the nation during the years of struggle. History

The Hellenic Navy, in the effort to modernize its Fleet and after years of struggle that concerned gathering and assessing valuable information and offers, proposed, and the Hellenic Government decided in April 1988 to obtain four Frigates MEKO 200 type. In order to fulfill this program and after a large number of negotiations the following contracts were signed: a. Contract with ΜΕΚΟ Consortium (MC) composed of BLOHM + VOSS AG and THYSSEN RHEINSTAHL TECHNIC for building up the first Frigate in Germany. b. Contract with MC - parts and the Hellenic Shipyards for building up the rest three Frigates MECO 200 Class in Scaramanga, Greece. The first Frigate was HS HYDRA and she's Flag was raised in Germany on 15 October 1992.

History

The ship's name comes from the island Hydra, which participated with its powerful fleet at the war of national independence in 1821, under the command of capable and charismatic Hydrian Admirals like Andreas Miaoulis. Hydra's fleet was in full cooperation with the rest two powerful fleets of the Hellenic islands Spetsai and Psara and succeeded in taking full control of the Aegean sea prohibiting the Ottoman Empire to organize and lay out its fleet. Frigate Hydra is the fifth ship in the history of the Hellenic Navy, bearing this name. The first ship was a 26 gun sail corvette, which was purchased by the Hellenic government and commissioned with the National Fleet on its first official formation in 1830. She was burnt in 1831 in Poros island. Then followed a 433 ton steam gunboat built in Blackwall shipyard, England in 1881. She was armed with one fixed Krupp 270/30 gun and one small rapid fire gun. Third ship in sequence was a battleship with a displacement of 4,808 tons, built by the French company Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee at their St. Nazaire shipyard, between 1887 and 1891. Following certain modifications and additions on her armament, Hydra participated in 1897 and 1912-13 war's Naval operations. She was stricken off the list in 1918 and, anchored at Poros island, was used as Odnance School between 1922 and 1929, whence was sent to the breakers. The fourth ship bearing this name was one of four Dardo - class destroyers, with a full displacement of 1936 tons and a trial speed of 41.5 knots, built by Odero - Terni - Orlando shipyard in La Spezia, Italy and commissioned in 1932. She participated in the 1940-41 war Naval Operations and in the first surface raid in the Otrando straits (14 - 15 Nov. 1940). She sank fighting, attacked by dive bombers on the 22 April 1941 near the Lagouses islets in the Saronic gulf, killing the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer as well as forty more officers, petty officers and ratings.

References