MEKO 200 Frigate Mild-Life Upgrade (MLU) programmes worldwide

Written by D-Mitch

MEKO 200 frigates HMNZS Te Mana, HMAS Parramatta and
HMAS Perth during the International Fleet Review 2013

The MEKO 200 is a frigate (FFG) design by the German shipyard Blohm+Voss as part of the MEKO family of warships. Ten MEKO 200 frigates were built to the Anzac-class design; eight for the Royal Australian Navy (first ship entered service in 1993), and two for the Royal New Zealand Navy (first ship entered service in 1994). Eight MEKO 200TN frigates were acquired by Turkey in three different tracks: four Track I/Yavuz vessels (first ship in 1987), two Track IIA/Barbaros class vessels (first ship in 1997) and two Track IIB/Barbaros (Salihreis subclass) vessels (first ship in 1998). Portugal acquired three MEKO 200PN/Vasco da Gama class (first ship commissioned in 1991) and Greece four MEKO 200HN/Hydra class (first ship commissioned in 1992). Total 25 vessels of seven (7) configurations! This article focuses on the Mild-Life Upgrade (MLU) programmes that are implemented on the MEKO 200 classes worldwide, of which some of them have change completely the appearance of the ships.

The new eyes of the Hellenic Navy and Hellenic Coast Guard: Miltech Hellas TDR-10A and TDR-HR-300

TDR-10A EO-sensor on a Hydra class frigate

This is the last update on the news regarding the equipping of Hellenic Navy warships and Hellenic Coast Guard offshore patrol vessels with new electro-optical (EO) sensors. In the article The new eyes of the Hellenic Navy Fleet: Miltech Hellas TDR-10 and IRB-75, I reported that a sensor designed and produced by the Greek company Miltech Hellas, the TDR-10 model, has equipped three Hellenic Navy gunboats and one frigate while 15 more systems of the advanced model TDR-10A, a completely new system, would equip front line surface combatants of the Greek Fleet that lack such a sensor. The TDR-10A was described in detail in the previous article The new eyes of the Hellenic Navy: Miltech Hellas TDR-10 ADVANCED. 

SCENARIOS #1: Hellenic Navy 1998 - 2030

Written by D-Mitch 

In this new series of articles, I examine briefly how the composition of major surface combatants of a specific naval Fleet could be different than it is today and how it could possibly look like in the near future. A graph illustrates this development through the years examined. For the graph, I take into account only the serious "opportunities" (mainly second-hand vessels) emerged during the time period considered as well as the official declared interest by the country's and/or armed forces' leadership. Please note that I do not criticize the decisions taken by the Hellenic Armed Forces leadership as every offer had its pros and cons. In this first article, I examine the Hellenic Navy (Πολεμικό Ναυτικό) from 1998 until 2030 focusing on specific years and providing a brief overview of the situation.

SCENARIOS #1: Hellenic Navy 1998 - 2030. High resolution image here.

Analytically about the lost opportunities (?) and the future of the Navy, as it follows:

BOOK REVIEW #8: CIA & Военно-морской флот СССР

CIA & Военно-морской флот СССР
του Εμμανουήλ Μουρτζάκη

Welcome to my eighth book review, The Soviet Navy through the Central Intelligence Agency documents, by Emmanouil Mourtzakis. This book brings to light the Soviet naval Strategy and the capabilities of the Soviet Navy directly through CIA documents of that period. The book has not been published in English yet, therefore the review is written for Greek-speaking readers. 

Η συγκεκριμένο μελέτη με τίτλο "Το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό της ΕΣΣΔ μέσα από τα αρχεία της Αμερικανικής Κεντρικής Υπηρεσίας Πληροφοριών και η σύγχρονη Ρωσική Ναυτική Στρατηγική", παρουσιάστηκε για πρώτη φορά στο ελληνικό κοινό ως ένθετο στο τεύχος 606 της Ναυτικής Επιθεώρησης του 2019. Στόχος του βιβλίου είναι να παρουσιάσει τη Σοβιετική Ναυτική Στρατηγική και Πρακτική καθώς και τις δυνατότητες του Σοβιετικού Ναυτικού, για πρώτη φορά, απευθείας από τα αρχεία της Κεντρικής Υπηρεσίας Πληροφοριών (CIA) των ΗΠΑ. Τα δύο πρώτα κεφάλαια επιτελούν αυτό το σκοπό, με διαχωρισμό των διαφόρων χρονικών περιόδων των αρχείων της CIA στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο. Στη συνέχεια, στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται η Ρωσική πλέον Ναυτική Στρατηγική και ο τρόπος που εφαρμόζεται σήμερα στον Αρκτικό Κύκλο και την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο. Όπως στο προηγούμενο βιβλίο που παρουσιάστηκε εδώ, Admiral Gorshkov: The Man Who Challenged the U.S. Navy, αναδεικνύονται οι επιχειρησιακές δυνατότητες του Σοβιετικού Ναυτικού κατά τη διάρκεια του Ψυχρού Πολέμου, δυνατότητες τόσο σημαντικές που αποτέλεσαν ουσιώδη πηγή στρατηγικού, επιχειρησιακού και τακτικού προβληματισμού για τις δυνάμεις των ΗΠΑ και των συμμάχων τους εκείνη τη περίοδο. 

BOOK REVIEW #7: Admiral Gorshkov: The Man Who Challenged the U.S. Navy

Welcome to my seventh book review, Admiral Gorshkov: The Man Who Challenged the U.S. Navy, by Norman Polmar, Thomas A Brooks, and George E Federoff.

Admiral Gorshkov:
The Man Who Challenged the U.S. Navy

In October 2005 the Russian MoD placed an order with Severnaya Verf for the construction of the lead ship of a new class of high-tech frigates. That stealth frigate was the first large surface combatant being built for the Russian Navy in 15 years, years since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The launching of this new combatant as well as some years later the launching of the first Borei class ballistic missile submarine, marked the Russian determination to restore Russia to great power status. The name that was given to the lead ship, and thus to the whole class, was Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov (Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov). Who was Gorshkov? Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (Russian: Серге́й Георгиевич Горшков; 26 February 1910 – 13 May 1988) was an admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union. Twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he oversaw the expansion of the Soviet Navy into a global force during the Cold War. He is one of the most famous Russian and Soviet commanders who will be remembered as the man who designed and built a potent high-seas fleet that could challenge the supremacy of the U.S. Navy during the Cold War!

PHOTO GALLERY #30: Admiral Makarov, Admiral Grogorovich class frigate of the Russian Navy

Photos by Γ.Μ.

Admiral Makarov, an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate

In this post you will enjoy some very good photos of Admiral Makarov, the latest Admiral Grigorovich-class (pr. 11356M) multi-mission frigate of the Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet, during her visit in Kerkyra (Corfu), as part of the 17th Hellenic -Russian Week in the Ionian Islands. Admiral Makarov was commissioned in December 27, 2017 and she is the third and morel likely the final vessel in the class, as the two incomplete vessels (4th and 5th) will be purchased by India for completion while the future of the 6th vessel is not known. The general characteristics of the class is a displacement of approximately 4,000t at full load, length of 124.8m, beam of 15.2m, maximum speed of 30 knots and a range of 4,850n.m. with the speed of 14 knots. Because some systems are not visible, it should be mentioned that the ship is equipped with among others a bow sonar (MGK-335EM-03) and a towed sonar array (Vignette-EM). The crew is 180-200. Enjoy photos of this quite heavily armed frigate!

With the destroyer USS Deyo in BALTOPS '93 exercise and at Kiel Naval Base

The destroyer USS Deyo,
BALTOPS 93 Phase I
June 8-10

USS Deyo, BALTOPS 1993 Phase I Jun 11-13,
anchored at Karlskrona Sweeden

The following photos were taken by Buddy Stewart and Nathan Jones aboard the Spruance-class destroyer USS Deyo (DD-989) during the exercise BALTOPS 1993. In the summer of 1993, USS Deyo deployed to the Baltic Sea and served as flagship for the exercise commander of BALTOPS. BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) is an annual military exercise, held and sponsored by the Commander, United States Naval Forces Europe, since 1971, in the Baltic Sea and the regions surrounding it. For the first time in the 22-year history of BALTOPS, the Eastern European countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia were invited to participate in the non-military phases of the exercise. This was the first (and the only?) time Russia participated, at least in the non-military portion of the exercises. Enjoy this unique photo collection of.. a different BALTOPS! A big thank to Buddy Stewart for the provided photos!

INFOGRAPHICS #45: United States Navy aircraft carriers, cruisers and Task Force One

The following images are created by Steve Freeman (sfreeman421 for deviantart) and depict all the classes of aircraft carriers and cruisers that were/are in service with the United States Navy as well as the famous (nuclear) Task Force One . Enjoy this great artwork! 

United States Navy Aircraft Carriers. Original artwork and illustration: Steve Freeman. In high resolution here

Hellenic Navy – Brief analysis of the current situation of the Fleet and its future

Written by D-Mitch

Photos by Nick Thodos 

The Hellenic Navy in exercise

Today, the Hellenic Navy maintains a large number of surface combatants and submarines in its inventory. However, the shortfalls suffered by the Navy over the last several years from the severe economic recession that began in mid-2008, are significant. Τhe economic crisis hit hard the country and Greece tried to recover via spending cuts including a high proportion of the defence budget. The vast majority of the warships in active service today are very old and should had been replaced by modern designs at least a decade ago. Having been held back by the pressures of the global economic crisis, the Hellenic Navy is now racing to catch up with its neighbors (source). Greece is a country with vast coastline, archipelagos and enclaves, heavily depended on trade and on the exploitation of maritime resource. However, trade and economic issues depend considerably on the free use of the sea, on the security of the sea lines of communication and the sustainable exploitation of marine resources. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and has been a key element of Greek economic activity since ancient times. Today, shipping is the country's most important industry worth $21.9 billion in 2018. (source) The responsibility of the Hellenic Navy in this respect is certainly huge. To a large extent, the future of Greece depends on the control exercised on the sea. To continue being effective, the Fleet must be a powerful, balanced and flexible instrument at the service of Greece in this uncertain and ever-changing geostrategic environment. It is vital for the Navy to continue having the necessary means to solve the most complex and demanding situations and constantly protecting and surveilling the maritime domains of national interest. In this article the most important facts about the current situation of the Fleet and its (possible) future are reported. Finally, one graph depict the current fleet composition and its future composition by 2030 in two scenarios, optimistic (O) and pessimistic (P). A second graph depicts the years of active service of the newest and oldest vessel per warship type.