PHOTO GALLERY #16: Matrozos, submarine of the Hellenic Navy

HS Matrozos as seen from the fast attack craft Degiannis

The third warship that I visited on Friday, October 27 (see previous post here), which was opened to the public at Piraeus harbor due to the forthcoming celebration of Ohi Day (anniversary of the "No"), was a Papanikolis class submarine, the HS Matrozos. Submarine Matrozos was commissioned in March of 2016 and it is the third vessel in the class. The four 65-meter vessels of the Papanikolis class (Type 214HN) submarines, are equipped with  air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, and are the most modern and advanced submarines in service with the Hellenic Navy and some of the most advanced submarines in the world today! The Papanikolis class is indeed the pride of the modern Hellenic Navy. Enjoy some photos from my visit!

PHOTO GALLERY #8: Pipinos, submarine of the Hellenic Navy

S121 Pipinos, second of the Papanikolis class

Today, December 6th of 2015, Hellenic Navy celebrates the feast day of its patron Saint, Saint Nicholas and the anniversary of the Balkan Wars (1912-13) naval battles. As such day of the year is a great opportunity for citizens of Athens and Piraeus to visit warships of Hellenic Navy that visit Piraeus for three days (Dec 4-6) to pay tribute to the patron saint of sailors and to give the opportunity to the citizens to "learn more" about their country's Navy. Once again for the second time in a row I was there! S121 Pipinos, is the second submarine of the Papanikolis class (Type 214 designation for the Hellenic Navy) of the Hellenic Navy, the most advanced submarines currently in service with Hellenic Navy and a class of one of the most advanced submarines in this category (diesel-electric/conventional submarine). The name pays tribute to Andreas Pipinos who was a fighter in the Greek War of Independence, noted for his success with fireships. This is the second submarine of Type 214 class I have visited (Papanikolis was my first!). Enjoy more than 20 photos of the boat!

PHOTO GALLERY #3: Papanikolis, submarine of the Hellenic Navy

Papanikolis, Type 214 submarine of Hellenic Navy

Yesterday, Friday, December 5, I had the opportunity to visit again the fast attack craft Daniolos P-68 of the Roussen class, the most modern surface combatants in service with Hellenic Navy, and the submarine Papanikolis. S120 Papanikolis, the first vessel of the Papanikolis class (Type 214 designation for the Hellenic Navy; Papaniolis is also the first Type 124 in the world), the most advanced boat currently in service with Hellenic Navy and one of the most advanced submarines in this category (diesel-electric/conventional submarine). The boats were opened to the public at Piraeus harbor due to the celebration of Saint Nicholas, the patron of sailors and of the Hellenic Navy. In October, I had visited Daniolos (see Photo Gallery #1) so this time I spent mainly my visit on Papanikolis. The submarine honors Dimitrios Papanikolis (1790–1855), a naval hero of the Greek Revolution, famous for being the first to successfully employ a fireship to destroy an Ottoman ship of the line. Enjoy about 30 photos!