New additions to the Hellenic Navy

The Hellenic Navy’s future multi-mission ship Perseus arrived on September 1 at Salamis Naval Base where she will receive the proper modifications in order to join the Greek Fleet the coming weeks. This is the fourth multi-purpose ship that joins the Navy as fleet support ship, all former commercial vessels and all donated by the Greek shipowner and president of Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation Panos Laskaridis. Few hours after the arrival of Perseus to Greece, the last pair of Island-class cutters, that were transferred to the Hellenic Navy by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), arrived in Salamis Naval Base. My story for Naval News, here. 

Greece receives first Island class patrol vessels from the U.S.

On July 3, 2023 the first Island-class cutters, that were transferred to the Hellenic Navy by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), have arrived in Perama of Piraeus, Greece. Two more vessels will arrive in the coming weeks. The vessels were previously stationed in Manama, Bahrain (Naval Support Activity Bahrain) as a part of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) to provide the US Navy 5th Fleet with combat ready assets. Greece becomes the 6th country to acquire Island-class patrol vessels for its maritime forces, after Pakistan (Pakistan Maritime Security Agency), Georgia (Georgian Coast Guard), Costa Rica (Costa Rican Coast Guard), Ukraine (Ukrainian Navy) and of course the United States. My story for Naval News, here.

Greek naval vessels to be fitted with SPIKE missiles

Greece will proceed with the procurement of SPIKE fire-and-forget missiles from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to equip eight naval vessels of two different types. The Greek Governmental Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA), under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, decided today to proceed with the procurement of SPIKE missiles from the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, to equip the Hellenic Armed Forces. The acquisition of SPIKE fire-and-forget missiles will equip, among others, eight naval vessels in total, of two different types. My story for Naval News, here.

Castor class coastal patrol vessels of the Belgian Navy (plus PHOTO GALLERY #36)

Written by D-Mitch

The two coastal patrol vessels of the Belgian Navy

The Belgian Navy, officially the Belgian Maritime Component (Marinecomponent) of the Belgian Armed Forces, provides the maritime component of Belgium’s defence capabilities. The Naval Component of the Belgian Armed Forces consists currently of two frigates, five mine hunters, two offshore patrol vessels, one command and support ship and one oceanographic ship, all located in the Belgian naval base in Zeebrugge. The Navy also operates a sail training ship, a number of tugs and a large number of rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs), the majority of them carried by the naval units. It is a small but modern and very capable naval force and will be even more capable in the future thanks to two major projects which will provide six new multi-mission large minehunters and two multi-mission frigates. In this article we will analyze the patrol boats.

PHOTO GALLERY #28: Thetis, multi-mission ocean patrol vessel of the Royal Danish Navy

HDMS Thetis of the Royal Danish Navy

Another gallery of photos which were taken during my visit to Kiel, on 21st and 22th of June, the first days of the 137th Kiel Week (see previous post about Kieler Woche). One of the many visiting warships that had returned from the NATO BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) Exercise, was Thetis, the lead ship of the Thetis class multi-mission ocean patrol vessels of the Royal Danish Navy. The class comprises four ships, all built and commissioned in the early 1990s. The ships' tasks are mainly maintenance of sovereignty, search and rescue, fishery inspection and support to local authorities. The ships each have double-skinned ice-reinforced hulls so that the ships can break through 80 centimeters (31 in) of solid ice. The ships of the class have receive several upgrades lately, including a new Scanter radar on a reconverted mast, new electronics and a reconverted hangar that accommodates RHIBs in the enclosed deck. The HDMS Thetis serves as staff ship for the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group One (SNMCMG1). It was a good opportunity for visitors to admire in person the latest Saab MCM equipment in service with the Royal Danish Navy. The 112-meter Thetis was laid down in October 1988 by Svendborg Skibsværft launched in July 1989 and commissioned on July 1, 1991. Enjoy photos! 

PHOTO GALLERY #22: William Butler Yeats, offshore patrol vessel of the Irish Naval Service

William Butler Yeats, offshore patrol vessel of the Irish Naval Service

This is the fifth photo gallery (see previous posts) from my visit to Kiel, on the first weekend of the 136th Kiel Week. The Kiel Week (German: Kieler Woche) or Kiel Regatta is an annual sailing event in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The first weekend of the Kiel Week, the famous Naval Base of Kiel, opens its gates for just four hours per day, for thousands of tourists who are eager to visit the German Navy warships and dozens of foreign warships which visit the city of Kiel, to honor the Kiel Week. Τhe Irish Naval Service was represented by the P63 William Butler Yeats, the third Samuel Beckett class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) which was commissioned in October 2016. The Samuel Beckett class OPVs are the largest and most modern Irish warships today and are named after literary figures. The ships have 90 meters length and over 2,200 tons displacement at full load. As all Irish warships, the Samuel Beckett class OPVs are armed with an OTO Melara 3in (76mm) automatic gun installed forward of the bridge, two Rheinmetall 20mm Rh-202 guns, and several M2HB 12.7mm heavy machine guns or FN MAG 7.62mm light machine guns. Enjoy photos from my visit aboard LÉ William Butler Yeats, a very modern patrol vessel!

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #6: The large patrol vessels of the Turkish Coast Guard

Written by D-Mitch

The Turkish Coast Guard 1,700-ton Guven. Photo by Yoruk Isik

This is the sixth post about infographics of various coast guard vessels and coast guard fleets from around the world. Following on my previous post about the offshore patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard and due to the very recent incident between the two countries where their largest ships were involved (Umut from Turkish side and Gavdos from the Greek side), I created an infographic where I depict the large patrol vessels (>100tons and >34 meters) of the Turkish Coast Guard (Türk Sahil Güvenliği), as of February 2018. It should be mentioned here that the Turkish Coast Guard has much more large patrol boats (55 boats larger than 30 meters including nine 31-meter Kaan 29 class boats) than the Hellenic Coast Guard (Λιμενικό Σώμα), has built several new and highly sophisticated patrol boat classes locally, and the majority of those ships have or received modern electro-optical sensors and remote-controlled stabilized machine gun platforms (RWS). Moreover, 33 boats are equipped with 40mm gun turrets except the usual armament of a pair of manually remoted 12.7mm heavy machine guns. Notice though that Turkey currently has only four (very) large offshore patrol vessels while all the rest are smaller than 41 meters. There are plans to replace older classes such as the Type 80 class.

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #5: Large patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard

Written by D-Mitch

Stan Patrol 5509 of the HCG

P355, the winner of competition!

This is the fifth post, after a long time, about infographics of various coast guard vessels from around the world. The following infographic is part of an article I wrote together with my friend Davelis, in Greek, for the Greek online magazine e-Amyna, about the current situation of the Hellenic Coast Guard (Λιμενικό Σώμα) large patrol vessel fleet and the new boats that the Coast Guard might purchase in the near future. The title of the article is "Present and future of the large patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard". That article briefly summarizes the issues, the needs for new acquisitions, modernization programmes regarding the current fleet as well as and the candidates for the Coast Guard's new competition for 3+1 30-45-meter armed patrol boats. Enjoy the article Παρόν και μέλλον των μεγάλων περιπολικών του Λιμενικού Σώματος!

UPDATE: the Hellenic Coast Guard will acquire four P355, a design by Cantiere Navale Vitoria (CNV) SPA. The boats will be 37-meters in length, 160 tons displacement at full load and will achieve a maximum speed of 40 knots. The equipment will consist of two LRCWS (Light Remotely Controlled Weapon Stations), a pair off JRC navigation radars and two  electro-optical sensors

Gurza-M class small armored artillery boats of the Ukrainian Naval Forces

Written by D-Mitch

Berdiansk (U175), second boat in the Gurza-M class (pr.58155)

It was December 6th of 2016 when the Ukrainian Naval Forces commissioned their first new naval vessels after decades. The only exception was the Grisha-V class corvette Ternopil (U209) which was commissioned in 2006 and which was later on captured by Russian forces during the Crimean crisis on March 20, 2014. The two boats that entered service on that date, were the first boats of the new Gurza-M class (Project 58155) small armored artillery boats; a larger derivative of the Gurza (Desert Viper) class (Project 58150) boats which serve with the Border Service of Uzbekistan. The boats of the class are like floating infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) if I could say; they have even gas barrels at the stern similarly to modern Ukrianian/Russian tanks! They remind also a lot the river monitors but their displacement if far much less than them, they are lighter armored and carry less weapons (see for example the Romanian Mihail Kogălniceanu-class river monitor). The boats are designed by the State Research and Design Shipbuilding Centre (SRDSC) of Ukraine and being built by PJSC Leninska Kuznya Plant, headquartered in Kiev, Ukraine. The Gurza is considered a product of UKROBORONPRO, the association of multi-product enterprises in all sectors of the Ukrainian defense industry.

The Irish Naval Service fleet today

Written by D-Mitch

The Force is strong with the Irish Naval Service!
Samuel Beckett crest, a photo by Salvador de la Rubia

The Naval Service (Irish: an tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh) is the maritime component of the Defence Forces of Ireland and is one of the three branches of the Irish Defence Forces. The Naval Service provides the maritime component of the State's Defence capabilities and is the State's principal seagoing agency. The Naval Service operates jointly with the Army and Air Corps. Its base is in Haulbowline, County Cork. The Naval Service is tasked with a variety of roles including defending territorial seas, deterring intrusive or aggressive acts, conducting maritime surveillance, maintaining an armed naval presence, ensuring right of passage, protecting marine assets, countering port blockades; people or arms smuggling, illegal drugs interdiction, and providing the primary diving team in the State. The Service supports Army operations in the littoral and by sea lift, has undertaken supply and reconnaissance missions to overseas peace support operations and participates in foreign visits all over the world in support of Irish Trade and Diplomacy.

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #4: Azerbaijan and Colombia

Written by D-Mitch

This is the fourth post, after a long time, of a new category of infographics of various coast guard vessels from around the world. These infographics aim to highlight the most important equipment of the vessels; I do not analyze the systems in depth as I do for the warships instead I provide some basic information mainly from Wikipedia (if else I provide the source) about the ships, their history and their capabilities.

1.  Sa'ar 62 class offshore patrol vessels of the Azerbaijani Coast Guard

President Ilham Aliyev inspecting the
new shipyards and the boats

Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher

Azerbaijan is one of the very few countries in the world that has in her inventory missile-armed coast guard vessels. Jane's, reported in summer of 2014, that Azerbaijan had bought six Sa'ar 62 offshore patrol vessels (based on the Sa'ar 4.5 class) and six lighter Shaldag Mk V patrol boats. The purchase came to light flowing the release of images from the commissioning of a new naval shipyard in Azerbaijan, which showed the first vessels during handling and construction in new shipyards in Türkan (video here), which is also according to Jane's believed to have been built by Israel Shipyards. The construction hall has capacity for at least three vessels to be constructed simultaneously. It should be mentioned that  Azerbaijan became second country in the world, after Russia with her remaining Krivak III (Nerey) class cutters armed with SA-N-4 surface-to-air missiles, that introduced in the coast guard fleet, vessels armed with missile weapon systems. However, in the Azerbaijani service, the distinction between  a coast guard vessel and a naval vessel is blur, as none of the naval vessels is equipped with missiles in contrast to.. the coast guard vessels! A nice video about the Azerbaijan Coast Guard can be watched here. Recently, Turkmenistan and United Arab Emirates commissioned coast guard vessels with missile weapon systems. These vessels, will be analyzed in a future post.

Armidale class patrol boats of the Royal Australian Navy

Written by D-Mitch

HMAS Albany and HMAS Maryborough of the Armidale class

The Armidale class patrol boats is a class of 14 boats which were commissioned the period 2005-2008 in the Royal Australian Navy. The boats were built in order to replace the 15 aging boats of the Fremantle class that entered service the period 1980-1984. Of the seven proposals tendered, the Austal Ships/Defence Maritime Services (DMS) proposal for twelve vessels based on an enlarged Bay-class patrol boat was selected. Two additional patrol boats were ordered in 2005 to provide a dedicated patrol force for the North West Shelf Venture. The vessels were built at Austal's Henderson shipyard near Freemantle. The Armidale class ships are operated by the Australian Patrol Boat Group, and based in Darwin. They are primarily tasked with border protection, fisheries patrols, and the interception of unauthorised arrivals by sea. The Armidales are longer and heavier than their Fremantle class predecessors, with improved seakeeping ability and increased range, allowing them to reach Australia's offshore territories. Initially, the ships are multi-crewed, with three ship's companies available for every two vessels, allowing allows the patrol boats to spend more time at sea without cutting into sailors' rest or training time. The last years however, are no more multi crewed .

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #3: Russia, China, Peru and Greece

Written by D-Mitch

This is the third post of infographics of various coast guard vessels from around the world. These infographics aim to highlight the most important equipment of the vessels; I do not analyze the systems in depth as I do for the warships instead I provide some basic information mainly from wikipedia (if else I provide the source) about the ships, their history and their capabilities.

1. Krivak III (pr. 11351, NATO codename Nerey) class frigates of the Russian Coast Guard

Varovsky Krivak III class frigate. Photo: Владимир Кононов

The Project 1135 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) class were a series of frigates built for the Soviet Navy. These ships are commonly known by their NATO reporting name of Krivak and are divided into Krivak I, Krivak II (both navy), and Krivak III (coast guard) classes. These ships were designed as a successor to the Riga class. The design started in the late 1950s and matured as an anti-submarine ship in the 1960s. A total of 40 ships were built, 32 ships for the Soviet Navy (Russian Navy) and nine (9) modified ships of Nerey (Krivak III) subclass for the KGB Maritime Border Guard. Of the nine Nerey class vessels, eight (8) served in the FSB Coast Guard and two (2) units were transferred to Ukraine prior to completion (the Hetman Bayda Vishnevetskiy never completed) of which one, the Hetman Sagaydachny, is till today the flagship of the Ukrainian Navy.

WARSHIPS OF THE PAST: Panagopoulos class coastal patrol boats of the Hellenic Coast Guard and the Hellenic Navy

Written by D-Mitch

Panagopoulos class coastal patrol boats of the Hellenic Navy

The three coastal patrol boats of the Panagopoulos class were designed and donated by the engineer and reserve sub-lieutenant Eugenios Panagopoulos a graduate of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). Panagopoulos after the events in Cyprus on July 20, 1974, took the initiative to strengthen the Hellenic Navy fleet with the donation of three heavily armed and quite innovative, small and very fast warships. The total cost was about 3 million US dollars. The following year the three boats entered in service with the Hellenic Coast Guard. (source) All the boats of the class, were built at the Hellenic Shipyards.

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #2: United States, Venezuela and Albania

Written by D-Mitch

This is the second post of a new category of infographics of various coast guard vessels from around the world. These infographics aim to highlight the most important equipment of the vessels; I do not analyze the systems in depth as I do for the warships instead I provide some basic information mainly from wikipedia (if else I provide the source) about the ships, their history and their capabilities.

 1.  Legend class cutters (National Security Cutters - NSCs) of the United States Coast Guard

USCGC Bertholf 

USCGC Bertholf with open hangars

NSCs are the flagship of the Coast Guard's cutter fleet, designed to replace the 115-meter Hamilton-class High-Endurance Cutters, which entered service during the 1960s. Ingalls has delivered five till today with one more being on sea trials. The Legend-class cutters are the second longest of all U.S. Coast Guard cutters, behind the research icebreaker Healy, and will replace the twelve Hamilton class cutters in service. These cutters are envisioned by the Coast Guard as being able to undertake the entire range of the High Endurance Cutter roles with additional upgrades to make it more of an asset to the Department of Defense during declared national emergency contingencies (the NSC is built to about 90% military standards). These vessels can be used for intercepting suspect vessels, or for rescuing swimmers, fishery protection, maritime homeland security missions, counter terrorism, or coastal patrol missions. To facilitate intercept missions, the Legend class can carry and launch both the 7-meter Short Range Prosecutor and the 11-meter Long Range Interceptor RHIBs.

INFOGRAPHICS OF COAST GUARD VESSELS #1: Greece, Turkey and Romania

Written by D-Mitch

With this new post I begin a new category of infographics of various coast guard vessels from around the world. These infographics aim to highlight the most important equipment of the vessels; I do not analyze the systems in depth as I do for the warships instead I provide some basic information mainly from Wikipedia (if else I provide the source) about the ships, their history and their capabilities.

1. Dost class offshore patrol vessels of the Turkish Coast Guard

Guven OPV. Photo: Combat Master

The CMS of Guven. Photo: Combat Master

The contract for the construction of four Dost class offshore patrol vessels at RMK Marine Shipyard was signed on 16 January 2007. These large ships were commissioned the period 2013-2014. The design of the these ships are based on the Sirio class offshore patrol vessels produced by Italian Fincantieri. With the commissioning of these ships, the Turkish Coast Guard is able to perform its duties mainly search and rescue in sea state 5 and higher. These ships are the first Turkish Coast Guard vessels that can support helicopter operations. (source: turkishnavy.net)

L'Adroit offshore patrol vessel of the French Navy

Written by D-Mitch

OPV FS L'Adroit. Photo: Jean-Louis Venne

L'Adroit (P725) is the lead-ship of the Gowind class, a new class of hi-tech offshore patrol vessels (OPV) capable of performing a wide spectrum of roles, for French Navy (Marine Nationale). These vessels are designed by Kership, a joint venture between DCNS and Piriou shipyard in Brittany. Kership benefits from the experience of DCNS on the naval defence markets and that of Piriou in civilian-standard vessels. L'Adroit is a very innovative design that performs mainly as a testbed for the various electronic systems, equipment and the novel features of the design itself. The vessel was built by DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales and the Direct Chantier Navel), group on its own funds in 2011 and it has been on loan to the French Navy from October 2011 until the middle of 2015 for trials and to promote it for exports. It is worth of mention that this ship's bridge offers a panoramic 360-degree visibility and also this is the first French warship with a single (integrated) mast.

Comandanti class and Sirio class offshore patrol vessels of the Italian Navy

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Comandanti class patrol vessel.
Photo: Marina Militare Italiana

Sirio class patrol vessel.
Photo: Marina Militare Italiana

The most modern offshore patrol vessels in service with Italian Navy (Marina Militare) are the ships of the Comandanti and Sirio classes, two classes of the same design that share some common equipment.  The four patrol vessels of the Comandanti class were built by Fincantieri and they were delivered to the Italian Navy the period 2002-2004. The program is also known as Nuove Unità Minori Combattenti (NUMC). The last vessel, the Foscari, was built with composite superstructure made off glass reinforced plastic instead of steel having in that way less mass and therefore resulting in reduced fuel consumption and improved life cycle of the ship. The two vessels of the Sirio class, also known as Nuove Unità di Pattugliamento d'Altura (NUPA), were commissioned in 2005. The NUPA program gives less emphasis on stealth characteristics, performance and equipment for operations in low intensity conflict environment such as NUMC program as the main mission of the Sirio class patrol vessels is to safeguard national interests in the fields of anti-pollution and rescue services. Therefore, among others, Sirio boats lack the main naval gun and the fire control system, they have less powerful engines and they have no hangar but only a flight deck. However the ships have all the provisions to be equipped as their older sisters. Both classes can various missions such as patrolling and surveillance at sea, control of maritime traffic and inspections, humanitarian relief operations, search and rescue operations, control of the maritime borders, protection of merchant shipping and fisheries, support operations and many more. 

Holland class offshore patrol vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy

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HNLMS Friesland. Photo: Neil Watkin

The Holland class is a class of four (4) offshore patrol vessels built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding for the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) and they were commissioned in the period 2012-2013. The ships are designed to reduced radar cross section (RDS) and they are painted are painted a new light blue-gray color to improve the camouflage effect. To optimize the seakeeping behavior of the vessels the hull has been stretched, and the bridge and superstructure are located relatively aftwards. Moreover, they are outfitted with ballistic features, blast resistant constructions, redundant and decentralized systems, a gas citadel, extensive fire fighting systems and additional measures to reduce the effects of flooding. Automation level for this vessel is high, and includes a shore support system, a shore management system, a calamity system, a warning system, an overview system and extensive subsystem automation. These patrol vessels are the first vessels of the Royal Netherlands Navy equipped with the Thales Integrated Sensor and Communication Systems (ISCS), an integrated mast module which integrates practically all radio frequency systems, radars as well as communication and optical sensors on board of the ship in one housing. These vessels are without question some of the most modern and well equipped class of offshore patrol vessels worldwide.

Machitis class patrol boats of the Hellenic Navy

 Written by D-Mitch

P-268 Aittitos of Machitis class. Photo: Hellenic Navy

Machitis class consists of four patrol boats in service with the navy of Greece, the Hellenic Navy. The design is by Hellenic Shipyards thus the origin of designation HSY-56A, an improved design of the previous HSY-56 which is based on the Danish Osprey-55 (both classes will  analyzed in a common article in the future). The boats of the class are the most modern patrol vessels of Hellenic Navy and some of the best equipped boats worldwide in this displacement and category, especially in the electronic equipment and the variety of sensors. The ships were built by Hellenic Shipyards and delivered to Hellenic Navy the period 2003-2005. The full displacement of the ships is close to 575tons, the length is approximately 56m, the maximum speed is about 23-24knots while the range is 2,500n.m. with the cruising speed of 15knots. The crew is 36 people (50 people max. according to Hellenic Shipyards) while each ship can carry additionally 21 fully equipped troops; usually Special Forces soldiers. Each vessel carries two Barracuda 7m Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIB) that have a maximum speed of 60knots. Moreover, the ships have the capability to deposit mines from the two mine rails they have at the stern and thus to operate as small minelayers.