Greek frigate Hydra

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The Hydra at Piraeus
Hydra (F-452) (Φ/Γ Ύδρα (F-452)
History
Greece
NameHydra
Namesakethe
Hydra Island
BuilderBlohm + Voss
Launched25 June 1991
Commissioned1992
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeHydra-class frigate
Displacement3,350 tons
Length117 m (384 ft)
Beam14.8 m (49 ft)
Draught6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) maximum
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) cruise
Range4,100 nmi (7,600 km; 4,700 mi) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) (diesels)
Complement173
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 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
  • Argo AR 700
    ESM
    system
  • Telegon 10
    ESM
    system
  • SME 150 ESM
  • Argo APECS II
    ECM
    system
  • 4 SCLAR decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried1
Aviation facilities
Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk
helicopter

Hydra (F-452) (

Blohm + Voss MEKO 200 frigate class, on which its design was based. Three more vessels were built by Hellenic Shipyards Co. at Skaramagas in following years.[1]
It is the fifth ship in the Hellenic Navy to bear the name Hydra.

Hydra was the first of four frigates of the MEKO 200 type (the four being Hydra, Spetsai, Psara, and Salamis) ordered by the Greek government. The ship was delivered to the Hellenic Navy on 15 October 1992 and first sailed in Greek waters on 28 January 1993. The crest of the frigate Hydra is the same as that of her predecessor. It is based on one of the flags which the ships of Hydra island sailed under during the 1821 revolution.[2]

In April 1988, the Hellenic Navy proposed and approved the four frigates of the MEKO 200 type in an effort to modernize its fleet. After a lengthy negotiation process, the following contracts were signed to fulfill the program:

  • A contract with ΜΕΚΟ Consortium (MC),
    Blohm + Voss AG
    and Thyssen Rheinstahl Technik to build the frigate in Germany.
  • A second contract with MEKO Consortium to supply parts to Hellenic Shipyards to build the other three Hydra-class frigates in Scaramanga, Greece

On 12 May 2020, Hydra sailed off from her port in Salamis Island to participate in Operation Irini, however the ship was damaged due to unknown reasons and had to be replaced by another ship of the same class, Spetsai.[3]

In March 2024, in response to the

Houthi attacks as part of the European Union's Operation Aspides.[4] On March 13, she spotted two Houthi drones and shot down them with the 127mm gun.[5]

In 25 April, the frigate Hydra fired shots at two drones as part of its mission in EUNAV FOR ASPIDES operation (Operation Shields) in the Gulf of Aden. According to reports, the incident occurred while the navy frigate was helping to protect a merchant vessel in the maritime route. The Greek frigate reportedly shot at two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in accordance with the Rules of Engagement, where one drone was shot down, and the other changed course.

References

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