Laskos class and Kavaloudis class fast attack craft of the Hellenic Navy

Written by D-Mitch

Boat of Kavaloudis class.
Photo: former admiral A. Panagopoulos

Boat of Laskos class.
Photo: Hellenic Navy

In a previous article we described the most modern class of fast attack missile craft (FACM) of Hellenic Navy (Πολεμικό Ναυτικό), the Roussen class. However, the backbone of the fast attack craft fleet consists of two older classes, the Laskos and Kavaloudis class. Laskos class is known as type Combattante IIIA while Kavaloudis class as type Combattante IIIB. Hellenic Navy, after the purchase and entry into service of the Konidis class FACMs (type Combattante II) in 1972 (P-14 Anninos, P-15 Arliotis, P-16 Konidis and P-17 Batsis, all withdrawn the period 2002 - 2004), decided to buy more boats of the type but larger and with heavier armament. It is worth of mention that the boats of Konidis class were the first missile boats to enter service in the Hellenic Navy and the first FACS worldwide that carried the Exocet missiles, one of the most modern anti-shipping missiles of that time. Thus, in September 1974, HN ordered again from CMN and their shipyard in Cherbourg in France, four vessels of the type Combattante IIIA, an admittedly heavy armed design for its time. The vessels were delivered in the period 1977-1978. Laskos class boats are of full displacement 429 tons (almost double displacement of the previous class), length of 56.6 meters, a maximum speed approaching 36 knots with economic speed of 25 knots and a range of 2,500 nautical miles and a complement of 42 men.

Roussen class fast attack craft of the Hellenic Navy

Written by D-Mitch

FACM of Roussen class in service with Hellenic Navy.
Photo: Hellenic Navy

The purchase agreement of the first three fast attack craft (FACs) of the Roussen class (Ρουσσέν) was signed in January 2000, and the construction took place at Eleusis Shipyards, while the Vosper Thornycroft (now BAE Systems Maritime) provided the necessary planning, logistics and equipment for the vessels. In August 2003 a contract was awarded for further two ships, Grigoropoulos and Ritsos, to be built by Elefsis. Ritsos was launched in October 2006 while the vessel was commissioned recently in 2015. A contract from the Hellenic Navy (Πολεμικό Ναυτικό) for an additional two vessels, to bring the total to seven, was placed in September 2008. The design is based on the smaller class of vessels of the Vita type serving in the Navy of Qatar and that’s why the class is named also Super Vita. The hull is made of steel while the superstructure is made of aluminum while the whole design has incorporated features for reduction of radar cross section. The first ship of the class was launched in November 2002 while three more vessels were launched the next three years. The sixth boat of the class has been reported to be named Karathanasis and it is expected to be delivered in 2017-18 while the seventh boat, Vlahakos, approximately that period as well. The class is named after its lead ship in honor of Second Mate Nikolaos Roussen, a distinguished World War II submarine officer. Roussen fought bravely during the war but he found death in April 1944 after being mortally wounded during a naval mutiny while he was leading a naval detachment to recapture corvette Apostolis.