HS OKEANOS (S118) is a Hellenic Navy conventional attack submarine originally built in West Germany in 1979 as one of the Type 209/1200 submarines of the Greek Poseidon class.
The vessel is particularly important because she became the only member of the class to undergo the extensive NEPTUNE II mid-life modernisation programme, which transformed the submarine through the installation of new sensors, combat-management equipment and an Air Independent Propulsion – AIP system.
The modernised OKEANOS returned to service in 2014 and was described by the Hellenic Navy as the world's first operational Type 209/AIP submarine.
Importantly, the old PiraeuShips description identifying her simply as a Type 209/1500, 64.4-metre submarine should now be corrected: the Hellenic Navy's own current specifications identify OKEANOS as a modernised Poseidon-class Type 209/1200, measuring 62.3 metres.
Vessel Details
Name: HS OKEANOS
Pennant Number: S118
Navy: Hellenic Navy
Type: Conventional Attack Submarine
Original Class: Poseidon class
Original Design: Type 209/1200
Current Configuration: Modernised Type 209 with AIP
Builder: Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft – HDW, Kiel, West Germany
Launched: 16 October 1978
Greek Flag Raised / Delivered: 15 November 1979
Arrived Salamis Naval Base: 1 January 1980
Major Modernisation: NEPTUNE II
Modernisation Completed: 2014
Length: 62.3 m
Beam: 6.2 m
Height / Depth: 6.2 m
Displacement: 1,615 t
Crew: 40
Speed: 20 knots
Main Propulsion: 1 × DC electric motor
Diesel Engines: 4 × MTU
Generators: 4
AIP: 2 × fuel-cell generators
Armament: 8 torpedo tubes
Weapons: up to 14 torpedoes / guided missiles
Torpedo Countermeasures: 2 × CIRCE launchers
Current Status: Active
Built in Kiel
OKEANOS was built by:
HDW at Kiel in West Germany.
She was launched on:
16 October 1978.
The Greek flag was raised on:
15 November 1979,
and the submarine arrived at:
Salamis Naval Base on 1 January 1980.
Poseidon Class
OKEANOS was originally the second of four:
Type 209/1200 Poseidon-class submarines.
The class represented a major element of the Hellenic Navy's submarine capability during the Cold War and subsequent decades.
NEPTUNE II
After approximately 25 years of service, OKEANOS was selected for an unusually ambitious modernisation programme:
NEPTUNE II.
Work was carried out at:
Hellenic Shipyards, Skaramangas.
The programme went substantially beyond routine refit work.
New Combat System
The modernisation introduced a modern integrated combat-management architecture.
Equipment included:
ISUS combat-management system
modernised sensors,
optronic mast,
new inertial-navigation equipment,
and upgraded weapons-management systems.
This brought many of OKEANOS's combat capabilities closer to those of far newer submarines.
Air Independent Propulsion
The most important modification was installation of:
Air Independent Propulsion – AIP.
The system uses:
fuel cells
to generate electrical energy without requiring the submarine to operate its diesel engines.
This allows OKEANOS to remain submerged for much longer periods without snorkelling.
The Hellenic Navy describes OKEANOS after completion of the programme in 2014 as:
the first operational Type 209/AIP submarine worldwide.
Current Hellenic Navy Specifications
The current official Hellenic Navy page gives:
62.3 m length
6.2 m beam
1,615 t displacement
40 crew
and:
20 knots speed.
This is the preferred source for the updated PiraeuShips profile rather than the old generic Type 209/1500 figures.
PiraeuShips Record
PiraeuShips published its dedicated:
OKEANOS – S118
entry in:
February 2019.
The older article used generic figures of:
64.4 m
and:
Type 209/1500.
The current update therefore represents an important technical correction to the archive.
PiraeuShips Record
HS OKEANOS (S118) was recorded by PiraeuShips during the modernised phase of one of the Hellenic Navy's most unusual submarines. Originally built by HDW at Kiel as a Type 209/1200 Poseidon-class submarine, OKEANOS entered Greek service in 1979 and later became the only submarine of her class to undergo the extensive NEPTUNE II modernisation programme. Completed in 2014, the project introduced a modern ISUS combat-management system, new sensors and Air Independent Propulsion based on fuel cells, making OKEANOS the first operational Type 209/AIP submarine according to the Hellenic Navy. Current official specifications identify the vessel as 62.3 metres long with 1,615 tonnes displacement and a crew of 40, correcting the older generic Type 209/1500 figures previously carried by the PiraeuShips page.
Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.
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