KIMON – F601

First FDI HN / Belharra Frigate of the Hellenic Navy

HS KIMON (F601) is the first FDI HN – Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention delivered to the Hellenic Navy and one of the most important additions to the Greek surface fleet in decades.

Built by Naval Group at Lorient, France, the frigate was formally delivered to Greece on 18 December 2025, when the Greek flag was raised during an official ceremony at Lorient.

KIMON subsequently sailed to Greece and was officially welcomed into the Hellenic Fleet in the Saronic Gulf on 15 January 2026, before proceeding to Salamis Naval Base.

The vessel introduced capabilities previously unavailable in the Hellenic Navy, most notably the Sea Fire digital AESA radar, a 32-cell Aster 30 area-air-defence missile battery and a highly integrated digital combat system.

Vessel Details

Name: HS KIMON

Pennant Number: F601

Type: Air-Defence / Multimission Frigate

Class: FDI HN / Kimon class

Design: Naval Group FDI

Navy: Hellenic Navy

Builder: Naval Group, Lorient, France

Delivered: 18 December 2025

Arrival / Formal Fleet Integration in Greece: 15 January 2026

Length Overall: 121.6 m

Beam: 17.7 m

Draught: 6.2 m

Displacement: 4,603 t

Accommodation Capacity: 149

Maximum Speed: 27.5 knots

Propulsion: CODAD

Main Engines: 4 × MTU diesel engines

Primary Radar: Thales Sea Fire AESA

Current Status: Active Hellenic Navy service.

The First Greek FDI

KIMON is the lead Greek ship of the FDI programme.

The vessel marked the return of the Hellenic Navy to the acquisition of a newly built major surface combatant after the MEKO 200HN frigates of the 1990s.

By October 2026, KIMON was already firmly incorporated into the fleet and was selected for a highly symbolic first visit to Thessaloniki for the 28 October celebrations.

Sea Fire Radar

One of KIMON's defining features is the:

Thales Sea Fire.

The system uses four fixed AESA radar panels integrated into the ship's mast.

Unlike mechanically rotating radars, Sea Fire electronically steers multiple radar beams and can simultaneously:

track aircraft,

detect missiles,

monitor surface contacts,

support missile engagements,

and maintain a detailed tactical picture.

The combination of Sea Fire and Aster 30 gives the Hellenic Navy a genuine:

area-air-defence capability.

32 Aster 30 Missiles

The Hellenic Navy's current official specification lists:

32 × ASTER 30 surface-to-air missiles.

This is an important correction to some older pre-delivery descriptions of the Greek FDI configuration.

The Aster 30 provides long-range defence against:

aircraft,

cruise missiles,

and other high-speed aerial threats.

Exocet

KIMON also carries:

8 × EXOCET surface-to-surface missiles.

These provide the ship's principal long-range anti-surface capability.

The Exocet family has been used by the Hellenic Navy for decades, creating continuity between older Greek missile ships and the new FDI generation.

RAM Close-In Defence

For point defence, KIMON carries a:

RAM – Rolling Airframe Missile system.

The official Hellenic Navy specification lists one RAM launcher together with the Aster battery.

RAM provides an additional close-range defence layer against:

anti-ship missiles,

aircraft,

and other high-speed threats.

76 mm Super Rapid Gun

The main naval gun is:

1 × OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapido.

The highly versatile gun can engage:

surface targets,

aircraft,

small boats,

and coastal targets.

Lionfish 20 mm Systems

The ship also carries:

2 × Lionfish 20 mm remote weapon stations.

These provide close-range defence against:

fast attack craft,

unmanned systems,

and asymmetric threats.

Anti-Submarine Warfare

KIMON carries:

two twin torpedo launchers

and sophisticated underwater sensors.

Her anti-submarine capability can be significantly extended by the embarked helicopter.

MH-60R and UAV Capability

The Hellenic Navy states that the ship can embark:

1 × SH-70B or MH-60R helicopter

and:

2 × Schiebel S-100 UAVs.

The MH-60R is particularly important because it combines:

anti-submarine warfare,

surface surveillance,

radar,

sonar,

and weapons capability

well beyond the immediate sensor horizon of the frigate.

Digital Frigate

FDI is frequently described as a:

digital frigate.

Sensors, combat management, electronic warfare and weapon systems are deeply integrated within a highly networked architecture.

This is central to KIMON's role in modern:

network-centric warfare.

Delivery – 18 December 2025

Naval Group formally delivered KIMON to the Hellenic Navy at:

Lorient on 18 December 2025.

The ceremony was attended by senior Greek and French officials.

The event marked the formal transfer of the first Greek FDI into Hellenic ownership.

Arrival in Greece

After final preparations in France, KIMON sailed for Greece.

On:

15 January 2026

the frigate received an official ceremonial welcome in the:

Saronic Gulf.

The President of the Republic, Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence and senior military leadership attended the ceremony.

The Second KIMON

The frigate is the:

second Hellenic Navy warship to bear the name KIMON.

The previous KIMON was the former U.S. Navy:

USS SEMMES

a Charles F. Adams-class guided-missile destroyer transferred to Greece in 1991.

That ship served as:

D218 KIMON

until her decommissioning in:

2004.

Four-Ship Greek FDI Programme

The Greek programme has expanded to four FDI HN frigates:

KIMON – F601

NEARCHOS – F602

FORMION

and:

THEMISTOKLIS.

KIMON therefore represents the lead unit of what is intended to become one of the principal combat formations of the future Hellenic surface fleet.

PiraeuShips Record

KIMON (F601) was recorded by PiraeuShips during the historic introduction of the Hellenic Navy's first FDI HN frigate. Built by Naval Group at Lorient, delivered to Greece on 18 December 2025 and officially welcomed into the Hellenic Fleet in the Saronic Gulf on 15 January 2026, KIMON represents the most significant technological step in Greek surface warfare since the introduction of the MEKO 200HN class. With the Sea Fire AESA radar, 32 Aster 30 missiles, eight Exocet anti-ship missiles, RAM close-in defence, advanced anti-submarine systems and the ability to operate an MH-60R helicopter and unmanned aircraft, the frigate introduces genuine area-air-defence and highly networked combat capabilities to the Hellenic Navy. The PiraeuShips footage therefore documents the beginning of a new generation of Greek major surface combatants.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved. 

 

 

 

KATSONIS – S123

Type 214HN / Papanikolis-Class Air-Independent Propulsion Submarine

HS KATSONIS (S123) is one of the most advanced conventional submarines in the Hellenic Navy and the fourth unit of the Greek Type 214 / Papanikolis class.

Built at Hellenic Shipyards in Skaramangas, the submarine combines diesel-electric propulsion with fuel-cell Air-Independent Propulsion – AIP, allowing it to remain submerged for substantially longer periods than traditional diesel-electric submarines without using a snorkel.

The Hellenic Navy officially lists KATSONIS with a length of 65 metres, displacement of 1,858 tonnes and maximum speed of 22 knots, slightly higher than the 20-knot figure in the old short PiraeuShips description.

Vessel Details

Name: HS KATSONIS

Pennant Number: S123

Type: Diesel-Electric / AIP Attack Submarine

Class: Papanikolis class

Design: Type 214HN / Type 214/1700

Navy: Hellenic Navy

Builder: Hellenic Shipyards, Skaramangas, Greece

Greek Flag Raised: 14 April 2014

Formal Hellenic Navy Acceptance: 23 June 2016

Length: 65 m

Beam: 7.9 m

Height / Depth: 7.5 m

Displacement: 1,858 t

Accommodation: up to 40 persons

Maximum Speed: 22 knots

Propulsion: Diesel-electric with AIP

Main Electric Motor: PERMASYN

Diesel Generators: 2 × MTU-based generating sets

AIP: 2 × fuel-cell modules

Torpedo Tubes: 8

Weapons Capacity: 16 torpedoes / guided weapons

Countermeasure Launchers: 4

Current Status: Active.

Fourth Type 214HN

KATSONIS is the:

fourth Type 214 submarine

in Hellenic Navy service.

The class consists of:

PAPANIKOLIS – S120

PIPINOS – S121

MATROZOS – S122

and:

KATSONIS – S123.

PAPANIKOLIS was built in Germany, while the following three submarines were constructed at:

Skaramangas

under the:

ARCHIMEDES programme.

Built in Greece

KATSONIS therefore has particular significance for Greek naval shipbuilding.

The submarine was the:

third Type 214 constructed at Hellenic Shipyards.

The Greek flag was raised aboard the submarine on:

14 April 2014.

Its naming ceremony and formal acceptance took place on:

23 June 2016.

Air-Independent Propulsion

The defining feature of the Type 214 is:

AIP – Air-Independent Propulsion.

Traditional diesel-electric submarines must periodically approach the surface and operate their diesel engines using a snorkel in order to recharge batteries.

During that period they become:

easier to detect,

more vulnerable to radar,

and more exposed to anti-submarine aircraft.

KATSONIS can instead use:

fuel cells

to generate electricity while remaining fully submerged.

Fuel Cells

The official Hellenic Navy specification lists:

2 fuel-cell units.

Fuel-cell technology produces electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction rather than conventional combustion.

This gives the submarine:

very low acoustic signature,

reduced thermal signature,

and dramatically increased submerged endurance.

PERMASYN Motor

Propulsion is provided through a:

PERMASYN permanent-magnet electric motor.

This type of motor is particularly suitable for submarine operation because it combines:

high efficiency,

compact dimensions,

and very low acoustic output.

Quietness is one of the most important characteristics of any modern submarine.

22 Knots

The old PiraeuShips short text gives:

20 knots.

The Hellenic Navy's current official specification gives:

22 knots.

I would therefore update the article to:

Maximum speed: 22 knots.

Eight Torpedo Tubes

KATSONIS carries:

8 torpedo tubes.

The official Hellenic Navy page lists a total weapon load of:

16 torpedoes and guided weapons.

The submarine can therefore attack:

surface ships

and:

submarines

while remaining extremely difficult to detect.

Countermeasures

The ship also carries:

4 torpedo-countermeasure launchers.

These can deploy decoys intended to confuse incoming anti-submarine weapons.

Eastern Mediterranean Role

AIP submarines are particularly well suited to the:

Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Complex underwater geography,

islands,

narrow passages,

and varying seabed conditions

provide ideal environments for a quiet submarine capable of remaining submerged for long periods.

The Type 214 fleet therefore constitutes one of the most strategically important components of Greek naval deterrence.

Named after Lambros Katsonis

The submarine is named after:

Lambros Katsonis – Λάμπρος Κατσώνης,

the eighteenth-century Greek naval commander who fought Ottoman forces in the Aegean before the Greek War of Independence.

The current vessel is the:

third submarine of the Hellenic Navy to bear the KATSONIS name.

The First KATSONIS

The first was:

Y-1 KATSONIS.

Built in France during the 1920s, the submarine served Greece during the Second World War.

It was sunk on:

14 September 1943

off Skiathos during combat.

The Second KATSONIS

The second was former U.S. Navy:

USS REMORA.

It entered Greek service in:

1973

as:

S115 KATSONIS

and remained operational until:

31 March 1993.

Active in 2026

KATSONIS remains part of the current Hellenic submarine force.

The Hellenic Navy's current fleet and Submarine Command pages continue to list:

KATSONIS – S123

among the four Type 214/1700 submarines.

PiraeuShips Record

KATSONIS (S123) was recorded by PiraeuShips as the newest member of the Hellenic Navy's Type 214HN / Papanikolis-class submarine force. Built at Hellenic Shipyards in Skaramangas under the ARCHIMEDES programme, the 65-metre submarine combines conventional diesel-electric generation with two fuel-cell Air-Independent Propulsion units and a highly efficient PERMASYN electric propulsion motor. This configuration allows KATSONIS to remain submerged for extended periods with an exceptionally low acoustic signature. The Hellenic Navy currently publishes a maximum speed of 22 knots, displacement of 1,858 tonnes and an armament capacity of 16 torpedoes and guided weapons launched through eight torpedo tubes. Still fully active in 2026, KATSONIS forms part of one of the most capable conventional submarine forces operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.

Matrozos - S122

 

 

VLACHAKOS – P79

Seventh and Final Hellenic Navy Roussen / Super Vita-Class Fast Attack Missile Craft

HS VLACHAKOS (P79) is the seventh and final Roussen-class / Super Vita fast attack missile craft constructed for the Hellenic Navy.

Built at Elefsis Shipyards, the vessel entered Hellenic Navy service on:

30 August 2022.

The official naming ceremony followed on:

29 September 2022.

The ship was named in honour of:

Lieutenant Panagiotis Vlachakos

who was killed during the Imia crisis on 31 January 1996 when Hellenic Navy AB-212 helicopter PN-21 crashed while carrying out an operational mission.

Vessel Details

Name: HS VLACHAKOS

Pennant Number: P79

Type: Fast Attack Missile Craft

Class: Roussen / Super Vita

Navy: Hellenic Navy

Builder: Elefsis Shipyards, Greece

Design: Vosper Thornycroft Super Vita

Entered Service: 30 August 2022

Naming Ceremony: 29 September 2022

Length: 61.9 m

Beam: 9.5 m

Draught: 2.74 m

Displacement: 668 t

Accommodation: 45 persons

Maximum Speed: 36 knots

Main Engines: 4 × MTU 16V595 TE90

Power: 5,875 hp per engine

Current Status: Active.

Eight Exocet Missiles

VLACHAKOS carries:

8 × EXOCET MM40 Block 2 / Block 3 anti-ship missiles.

This gives a 62-metre vessel an exceptionally heavy anti-surface punch.

RAM

The vessel is also fitted with:

1 × RAM launcher carrying 21 missiles.

The Rolling Airframe Missile system provides close-range protection against:

anti-ship missiles,

aircraft,

and other aerial threats.

Gun Armament

Gun armament comprises:

1 × OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid

and:

2 × OTO Breda 30 mm guns.

36 Knots – Not 35

The old short description gives:

35 knots.

The Hellenic Navy's current official specification gives:

36 knots.

That should be corrected in the updated page.

Final Roussen-Class Vessel

VLACHAKOS completed a Greek programme that ultimately produced seven ships:

ROUSSEN,

DANIolos,

KRYSTALLIDIS,

GRIGOROPOULOS,

RITSOS,

KARATHANASIS,

and:

VLACHAKOS.

The class today represents the most powerful missile-craft component of the Hellenic Navy.

PiraeuShips Record

VLACHAKOS (P79) was recorded by PiraeuShips during the early career of the seventh and final Roussen-class fast attack missile craft of the Hellenic Navy. Built at Elefsis Shipyards to the Vosper Thornycroft Super Vita design and commissioned in August 2022, the 61.9-metre vessel combines a maximum speed of 36 knots with an unusually heavy weapons fit for her size: eight Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, a 21-cell RAM close-in defence system, a 76 mm Super Rapid gun and twin 30 mm weapons. Named in honour of Lieutenant Panagiotis Vlachakos, who was killed during the Imia crisis in January 1996, P79 represents the culmination of the Hellenic Navy's modern fast-attack-craft programme.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.

  

SIMITZOPOULOS – P28

La Combattante IIIB Fast Attack Missile Craft – Veteran Greek-Built Missile Boat

HS SIMITZOPOULOS (P28) is a veteran Hellenic Navy La Combattante IIIB fast attack missile craft, built in Greece and representing an earlier generation of high-speed missile boats that formed the backbone of Greek surface strike capability before the arrival of the Roussen class.

At 56.2 metres long and approximately 430 tonnes displacement, the vessel combines a maximum speed of 33.5 knots with unusually heavy gun, missile and torpedo armament for a ship of its size.

Most importantly, the old short description requires a correction:

SIMITZOPOULOS was named not after “Spyridon Simitzopoulos” but after:

Ensign Nikolaos Simitzopoulos,

who was killed during the sinking of the destroyer:

VASILISSA OLGA

at Leros on:

26 September 1943.

Vessel Details

Name: HS SIMITZOPOULOS

Pennant Number: P28

Type: Fast Attack Missile Craft

Class: La Combattante IIIB

Navy: Hellenic Navy

Builder: Hellenic Shipyards, Skaramangas

Entered Service: 1977

Length: 56.2 m

Beam: 8.3 m

Draught: 2.7 m

Displacement: 430 t

Crew: 43

Maximum Speed: 33.5 knots

Main Engines: 4 × MTU diesels

Maximum Published Power: 3,750 hp per engine

Current Hellenic Navy Fleet Page: Still listed by the Navy.

La Combattante IIIB

SIMITZOPOULOS belongs to the Greek:

La Combattante IIIB

generation of fast attack craft.

These ships were developed for high-speed:

anti-surface warfare

and were heavily armed for their dimensions.

The class also retained an unusual capability absent from many later missile craft:

anti-submarine torpedoes.

Four MTU Engines

The official Hellenic Navy specification gives:

4 × MTU main engines

with up to:

3,750 hp each.

This gives the vessel a published maximum speed of:

33.5 knots.

Two 76 mm Guns

SIMITZOPOULOS carries:

2 × OTO Melara 76/62 guns.

Two major-calibre guns on a vessel of only 56 metres give the ship substantial conventional firepower even without missiles.

30 mm Guns

Close-range defence is provided by:

2 × Emerlec 30 mm systems.

Surface-to-Surface Missiles

The Hellenic Navy's current English-language vessel page lists:

6 × Penguin Mk2 Mod 3 surface-to-surface missiles.

Other later operational references have documented Harpoon modifications on surviving La Combattante IIIB units, so individual missile configuration may have varied during the long service life of the class.

For an archive profile, the safest approach is to reproduce the:

current official Hellenic Navy specification.

Torpedoes

The vessel also carries:

2 × TORO S5/3 torpedo tubes

for:

SST-4 torpedoes.

That gives SIMITZOPOULOS an unusual combined:

anti-surface missile,

gun,

and:

torpedo capability.

Named after Nikolaos Simitzopoulos

The ship honours:

Ensign Nikolaos Simitzopoulos.

He served aboard the famous Greek destroyer:

VASILISSA OLGA.

On:

26 September 1943

German Ju 88 bombers attacked the ship at:

Lakki, Leros.

VASILISSA OLGA was sunk and Nikolaos Simitzopoulos was among those killed.

A Veteran of the Fleet

With service dating back to the late 1970s, SIMITZOPOULOS belongs to one of the oldest generations of missile craft still represented on the Hellenic Navy's official fleet pages.

The vessel illustrates how Greek fast-attack doctrine developed before the introduction of:

the Roussen class,

modern RAM systems,

and:

Exocet Block 3 weapons.

PiraeuShips Record

SIMITZOPOULOS (P28) was recorded by PiraeuShips as one of the veteran La Combattante IIIB fast attack missile craft of the Hellenic Navy. Built in Greece and measuring 56.2 metres in length, the approximately 430-tonne vessel combines four MTU diesel engines and a maximum speed of 33.5 knots with an exceptionally heavy weapons fit that includes twin 76 mm OTO Melara guns, 30 mm weapons, surface-to-surface missiles and SST-4 torpedoes. The ship is named in honour of Ensign Nikolaos Simitzopoulos, who was killed during the German air attack that sank the destroyer VASILISSA OLGA at Leros on 26 September 1943. The PiraeuShips record therefore preserves both a veteran element of Greek missile-boat history and a naval name directly connected with one of the Hellenic Navy's most famous wartime losses.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.

Pineios - A450

 

Iraklis - A472

 

Dimensions

84 / 18.8 / 7.6 m

Displacement

Net displacement:: 2.440 tn Maximum Displacement: 6.910 tn

Crew

45 people

Speed

17 knots

Vessel Propulsion

2 x ULSTEN BERGEN BRM-8 (3530 kW)

 

LIMNOS – F451

Elli-Class / Kortenaer-Type Frigate – More Than Four Decades in Hellenic Navy Service

HS LIMNOS (F451) is one of the two original Dutch-built Standard / Kortenaer-type frigates ordered new for Greece, rather than one of the later second-hand units acquired from the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Built at Royal Schelde in Vlissingen, the frigate entered Hellenic Navy service on:

18 September 1982.

More than 44 years later, LIMNOS remains listed by the Hellenic Navy among the active Standard-class frigates.

Vessel Details

Name: HS LIMNOS

Pennant Number: F451

Type: Multirole Frigate

Class: Elli / Standard / Kortenaer type

Navy: Hellenic Navy

Builder: Royal Schelde, Vlissingen, Netherlands

Construction Began: 13 June 1978

Launched: 27 October 1979

Greek Flag Raised / Commissioned: 18 September 1982

Arrival in Greece: 5 November 1982

Length: 130.5 m

Beam: 14.6 m

Draught: 6.2 m

Displacement: 3,630 t

Accommodation: 198

Maximum Speed: 30 knots

Propulsion: COGOG

Current Status: Active Hellenic Navy listing.

COGOG Propulsion

LIMNOS uses:

2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines

for high-speed operation

and:

2 × Rolls-Royce Tyne gas turbines

for economical cruising.

The Olympus turbines provide approximately:

56,000 hp combined,

while the Tyne cruising turbines provide approximately:

10,680 hp combined.

Weapons

The official Hellenic Navy specification lists:

2 × 76 mm OTO Melara guns

2 × Phalanx CIWS

Harpoon anti-ship missiles

NATO Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles

and:

anti-submarine torpedoes.

Helicopters

LIMNOS can embark:

two AB-212ASW helicopters

or:

one SH-70B helicopter.

The embarked helicopter significantly extends the ship's anti-submarine search and attack radius.

Ordered Directly for Greece

LIMNOS and sister ship:

ELLI – F450

were ordered directly for Greece.

This distinguishes them from most of the other Standard-class frigates later acquired second-hand from the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Battle of Lemnos

The ship takes her name from the:

Battle of Lemnos – 5 January 1913.

During that battle, Admiral:

Pavlos Kountouriotis

and the Greek fleet decisively defeated Ottoman naval forces.

Together with the earlier Battle of Elli, the victory ensured Greek naval control of the Aegean during the Balkan Wars.

Third Hellenic Navy LIMNOS

The frigate is the:

third Hellenic Navy ship to carry the name LIMNOS.

The first was the former American battleship:

USS MISSISSIPPI

acquired by Greece in 1914.

The second was an amphibious vessel transferred during the Second World War and used in major Allied operations.

Still Listed in 2026

Despite her age, LIMNOS remains on the Hellenic Navy's current frigate list in:

2026.

This makes the ship one of the longest-serving major combatants still in Greek naval service.

The arrival of the FDI HN class will progressively reshape the surface fleet, but LIMNOS remains part of the current order of battle as of October 2026.

PiraeuShips Record

LIMNOS (F451) was recorded by PiraeuShips during the exceptionally long career of one of the Hellenic Navy's original Dutch-built Standard-class frigates. Constructed by Royal Schelde at Vlissingen and commissioned into Greek service on 18 September 1982, the 130.5-metre frigate combines COGOG gas-turbine propulsion with Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sea Sparrow air defence, twin 76 mm guns, Phalanx close-in defence and anti-submarine weapons. Named after the decisive 1913 Battle of Lemnos, F451 is the third Greek naval vessel to carry the historic name. More than four decades after entering service, LIMNOS remains included in the Hellenic Navy's active frigate listing in 2026, making the PiraeuShips footage a record of one of the longest-serving major surface combatants in the modern Greek fleet.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.

Themistoklis - F465

 

HS THEMISTOKLIS (F465) was a Hellenic Navy Standard / Elli-class frigate, originally built in the Netherlands as HNLMS PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE (F823) of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Launched in 1979 and commissioned into Dutch service in 1981, the frigate was transferred to Greece in 2003 and served with the Hellenic Navy for almost 23 years. Her long operational career finally ended on 20 March 2026, when the Greek flag was lowered for the last time at Salamis Naval Base.

The ship belonged to the Dutch Kortenaer class, known in Greek service as the Standard or “S” class. She measured approximately 130.5 metres in length, displaced around 3,600–3,900 tonnes depending on load condition, and used a powerful COGOG gas-turbine propulsion system capable of speeds of around 30 knots.

Vessel Details

Final Name: HS THEMISTOKLIS
Former Name: HNLMS PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE
Pennant Number: F465
Former Pennant Number: F823
Type: Frigate
Class: Standard / Elli class
Original Class: Kortenaer class
Navy: Hellenic Navy
Former Navy: Royal Netherlands Navy
Builder: Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam, Netherlands
Laid Down: 1 October 1977
Launched: 11 August 1979
Commissioned in Netherlands: 2 December 1981
Decommissioned from Dutch Navy: 2002
Transferred to Greece: 2003
Greek Flag Raised: 24 October 2003
Arrived in Greece: 9 March 2004
Decommissioned from Hellenic Navy: 20 March 2026
Length Overall: approx. 130.5 m
Beam: approx. 14.5 m
Draught: approx. 4.4 m
Full Load Displacement: approx. 3,800–3,900 t
Crew: up to approx. 198
Maximum Speed: approx. 30–31 knots
Range: approx. 4,700 nautical miles at 16 knots.

Propulsion

THEMISTOKLIS used a COGOG – Combined Gas Or Gas propulsion arrangement with:

2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines for high-speed operation
2 × Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1C gas turbines for cruising
2 shafts

The same propulsion arrangement equipped the other former Dutch Standard-class frigates of the Hellenic Navy and provided a maximum speed of approximately 30–31 knots.

Armament in Greek Service

During her Hellenic Navy career, THEMISTOKLIS carried a typical armament fit of the former Dutch Standard-class frigates, including:

1 × OTO Melara 76/62 naval gun
1 × Phalanx Mk15 CIWS
Up to 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
Mk29 launcher for NATO Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles
2 × twin Mk32 324 mm torpedo launchers
Electronic countermeasure / chaff launchers
Capability to operate AB-212 ASW helicopters.

From PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE to THEMISTOKLIS

The frigate began her career as HNLMS PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE (F823), named after the Dutch admiral Philips van Almonde. Her keel was laid in October 1977, she was launched in August 1979 and entered Royal Netherlands Navy service on 2 December 1981.

During more than twenty years under the Dutch flag, PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE participated in NATO operations and deployments, including service connected with the 1990–1991 Gulf War and later Operation Enduring Freedom. She was withdrawn from Dutch service in 2002 and sold to Greece.

The Greek flag was raised on 24 October 2003 at Den Helder, and the vessel was renamed THEMISTOKLIS, honouring the Athenian statesman and naval strategist whose policies contributed decisively to the Greek victory at Salamis in 480 BC. The frigate arrived at Salamis Naval Base on 9 March 2004.

Her name history is therefore:

PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE (F823) → THEMISTOKLIS (F465)

Service with the Hellenic Navy

THEMISTOKLIS became one of the heavily employed units of the Greek fleet. During her Greek career she participated in national exercises, NATO deployments and multinational operations including UNIFIL, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI and NATO's SNMG2.

Her operational tempo was particularly striking in 2022, when the ship spent 218 days at sea, an achievement for which her crew received recognition. By the time of her retirement, the vessel had accumulated approximately 900,000 nautical miles during her Hellenic Navy service.

THEMISTOKLIS also served in training roles. In the summer of 2020, she departed Piraeus together with landing ship LESVOS for the Hellenic Naval Academy's annual Summer Training Cruise, carrying Naval Cadets on a month-long training deployment.

Decommissioned – 20 March 2026

The most important update to the original PiraeuShips page is that THEMISTOKLIS is no longer in active service.

On 20 March 2026, a formal decommissioning and flag-lowering ceremony was held at Salamis Naval Base, bringing to an end approximately 45 years of naval service under the Dutch and Greek flags. She had spent almost half of that career with the Hellenic Navy.

Her retirement came as the Hellenic Navy began introducing its new FDI HN frigates. The name THEMISTOKLIS is planned to live on aboard the fourth Greek FDI frigate, F600.

Piraeus Connection

THEMISTOKLIS had a strong connection with the wider Piraeus–Salamis naval area throughout her Greek career. Independent photographic records document the frigate outside the Port of Piraeus on 8 July 2011, while Piraeus was also used as the starting point for her 2020 Naval Academy training cruise.

The vessel later became part of the PiraeuShips archive, with the original THEMISTOKLIS F465 page published in 2023.

PiraeuShips Record

HS THEMISTOKLIS F465 was documented by PiraeuShips during the frigate's long career with the Hellenic Navy. Originally commissioned in 1981 as the Dutch frigate PHILIPS VAN ALMONDE, she joined the Greek fleet in 2003 and subsequently served for almost 23 years in national, NATO and international operations. The frigate was finally decommissioned at Salamis Naval Base on 20 March 2026 after a combined naval career of approximately 45 years, turning the original PiraeuShips footage into a record of a warship that has now passed into history.

Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.

Velos - D16

 

Name	Velos
Acquired	16 June 1959
Out of service	26 February 1991
Stricken	1 September 1975
Identification	D16
Status	Ceremonially active; museum ship in Palaio Faliro, Athens
General characteristics
Class and type	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement	2,100 tons standard, 3,050 tons full load
Length	376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam	39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
Draft	17 ft 9 in (5.4 m) with full load (including ASW dome): 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m)
Propulsion	60,000 shp (45,000 kW) 2 sets of General Electric geared steam turbines, 1 set of 3 for each shaft (cruising, low pressure, high pressure); 4 Foster Wheeler boilers (two furnaces each), maximum steam pressure: 525 psi (3,620 kPa), maximum steam temperature: 825 °F (441 °C); 2 propellers
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	United States Navy: 329 Hellenic Navy: 269
Armament	5 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal guns 4 × 40 mm AA guns, 4 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks (in Greek service) 4 × 127 mm (5 in)/38 cal. guns, 3 × twin 3 in (76 mm)/50 RF AA guns 2× 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns 1 × quintuple 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (for Mk 14 torpedoes), 2 × triple 325 mm (12.8 in) anti-submarine torpedo tubes (for Mk 44-Mk 46 torpedoes), 2 × Hedgehog (weapon) launchers (Mark 11, 24 bombs each), 1 × depth charge track for 12 Mk 9 depth charges, 12 (2×6) Super RBOC chaffs & flares launchers, 4 FIM-43 Redeye man-portable surface-to-air missiles (after 1976)

Georgios Averof

 

Name	Georgios Averof Θ/Κ Γεώργιος Αβέρωφ
Namesake	George Averoff
Builder	Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando, Livorno
Laid down	1907
Launched	12 March 1910
Commissioned	16 May 1911
Decommissioned	1 August 1952
Nickname(s)	"Lucky George" by Greeks "Devil's Ship" by Turks[1]
Status	Ceremonially commissioned; Museum ship
General characteristics
Class and type	Pisa-class armored cruiser
Displacement	9,956 long tons (10,116 t) (standard) 10,200 long tons (10,400 t) (deep load)
Length	140.13 m (459.7 ft)
Beam	21 m (69 ft)
Draft	7.18 m (23.6 ft)
Installed power	22 × Belleville boilers 19,000 shp (14,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 × compound-expansion steam engines 2 × shafts
Speed	23.5 knots (43.5 km/h; 27.0 mph) maximum 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) operational
Range	2,480 nmi (4,590 km; 2,850 mi) at 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph)
Complement	670 maximum capacity: 1200
Armament	Original configuration: 2 × twin 234 mm (9.2 in) guns 4 × twin 190 mm (7.5 in) guns 16 × single 76 mm (3 in) guns 4 × single 47 mm (1.85 in) guns 3 × 430 mm (17 in) torpedo tubes After refit: 2 × twin 234 mm (9.2 in) guns 4 × twin 190 mm (7.5 in) guns 8 × single 76 mm (3 in) guns 4 × single 76 mm (3 in) AA guns 6 × single 36 mm (1.42 in) AA guns
Armor	Belt: 200 mm (7.9 in) midships, 80 mm (3.15 in) at ends Deck: up to 40 mm (1.6 in) Turrets: 200 mm (7.9 in) at 234mm turrets, 175 mm (6.9 in) at 190mm turrets Barbettes: up to 180 mm (7.1 in) Conning tower: up to 180 mm (7.1 in)

Aias - A473

 

Olympias

 

Name	Olympias
Owner	Hellenic Navy
Ordered	1985
Laid down	July 27, 1987
Launched	August 1987
Commissioned	August 26, 1987
Homeport	Palaio Faliro 37°56.057′N 23°41.11′E
Status	serves as exhibit in dry dock and used in events
General characteristics
Type	Trireme
Displacement	47 tonnes
Length	36.9 m (121 ft 1 in)
Beam	5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
Draught	1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	Two large square sails 170 oarsmen
Speed	Maximum (with oars) over 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) Continuous (crew rowing in turns) 4.0 kilometres per hour (2.5 mph) 2.15 knots (estimated).
Troops	14 (10 Hoplites + 4 Archers)
Complement	200 including 5 officers (in antiquity)
Armament	Bronze bow ra

Karathanasis - P78

 

Type	FACM
Displacement	580 tons / 668 tons fully loaded
Length	62 m
Beam	9.5 m
Draught	2.6 m
Propulsion	4 × MTU 16V595 TE90 diesel engines 23,500 hp
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Complement	45
Sensors and processing systems	Thales MW08 3D G-band surveillance radar Thales Mirador electro-optical target tracker Thales Scout MkII low probability of intercept radar Sperry Marine Bridgemaster-E navigation radar Tacticos combat management system Aeromaritime IFF Mk12 ICS 2000 integrated communications system
Electronic warfare & decoys	DR 3000 ESM system 1 SRBOC decoy launcher
Armament	1 × Oto Melara 76 mm/62 cal. 8 × MM40 Block 2/3 anti-ship missiles 1 × Mk31 21-cell launcher of RAM Block 1 surface-to-air missiles 2 × Oto Melara 30mm cannons

Kristallidis - P69

 

Type	FACM
Displacement	580 tons / 668 tons fully loaded
Length	62 m
Beam	9.5 m
Draught	2.6 m
Propulsion	4 × MTU 16V595 TE90 diesel engines 23,500 hp
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Complement	45
Sensors and processing systems	Thales MW08 3D G-band surveillance radar Thales Mirador electro-optical target tracker Thales Scout MkII low probability of intercept radar Sperry Marine Bridgemaster-E navigation radar Tacticos combat management system Aeromaritime IFF Mk12 ICS 2000 integrated communications system
Electronic warfare & decoys	DR 3000 ESM system 1 SRBOC decoy launcher
Armament	1 × Oto Melara 76 mm/62 cal. 8 × MM40 Block 2/3 anti-ship missiles 1 × Mk31 21-cell launcher of RAM Block 1 surface-to-air missiles 2 × Oto Melara 30mm cannons

Kyknos I

 

Adrias - F459

Netherlands
Name:	Callenburgh
Namesake:	Gerard Callenburgh
Builder:	KM de Schelde, Vlissingen
Laid down:	2 September 1975
Launched:	26 March 1977
Commissioned:	26 July 1979
Decommissioned:	1994
Fate:	Sold to the Hellenic Navy
Greece
Name:	Adrias
Commissioned:	30 March 1994
Identification:	F459
Status:	active service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Kortenaer-class frigate
Displacement:	3,500 long tons (3,600 t) standard 3,800 long tons (3,900 t) full load
Length:	130 m (426 ft 6 in)
Beam:	14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft:	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	Combined gas or gas (COGOG) system: 2 × Rolls Royce Tyne RM1C gas turbines, 4,900 shp (3,700 kW) each 2 × Rolls Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 25,700 shp (19,200 kW) each (boost) 2 shafts
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) cruise 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) maximum
Endurance:	4,700 nautical miles at 16 knots (8,700 km at 30 km/h)
Complement:	176–196
Armament:	2 × OTO-Melara Compatto 76 mm/62 cal. gun 2 × twin Mk46 torpedo tubes 2 × quad RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers 1 × 8-cell Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile launchers 1 × Goalkeeper in Dutch service 1 × Phalanx in Greek service
Aircraft carried:	2 × Sea Lynx helicopters (1 in peacetime)

Rodos - L177

Type:	Landing Ship Tank
Displacement:	4,470 tons full load
Length:	116 metres
Beam:	15.3 metres
Draught:	3.4 metres
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 Wärtsilä Nohab 16V25 diesels; 9,200 hp(m) (6.76 MW) sustained
Speed:	16 kn
Sensors and processing systems:	Radars: Thomson-CSF Triton; G-band Fire control: Thomson-CSF Pollux; I/J-band Navigation: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007; I-band
Armament:	1 Oto Melara 76mm/62 Mod 9 compact 2 Breda 40mm/70 4 - Rheinmetall 20mm (2 twin)
Aircraft carried:	1 platform for medium helicopter

Okeanos - S118

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.

Aigaion - F460

Builder:	KM de Schelde, Vlissingen
Laid down:	25 February 1976
Launched:	30 September 1978
Commissioned:	29 October 1980
Decommissioned:	14 May 1993
Fate:	Sold to the Hellenic Navy
Greece
Name:	Aigaion
Commissioned:	14 May 1993
Identification:	F460
Status:	active service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Kortenaer-class frigate
Displacement:	3,500 long tons (3,600 t) standard 3,800 long tons (3,900 t) full load
Length:	130 m (426 ft 6 in)
Beam:	14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft:	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	Combined gas or gas (COGOG) system: 2 × Rolls Royce Tyne RM1C gas turbines, 4,900 shp (3,700 kW) each 2 × Rolls Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 25,700 shp (19,200 kW) each (boost) 2 shafts
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) cruise 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) maximum
Endurance:	4,700 nautical miles at 16 knots (8,700 km at 30 km/h)
Complement:	176–196
Armament:	2 × OTO-Melara Compatto 76 mm/62 cal. gun 2 × twin Mk46 torpedo tubes 2 × quad RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers 1 × 8-cell Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile launchers 1 × Goalkeeper in Dutch service 1 × Phalanx in Greek service
Aircraft carried:	2 × Sea Lynx helicopters (1 in peacetime)