TheHellenic Navy (HN;Greek:Πολεμικό Ναυτικό,romanized: Polemikó Naftikó,lit. 'War Navy', abbreviatedΠΝ) is thenaval force ofGreece, part of theHellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of variousAegean Islands, which fought in theGreek War of Independence. The Hellenic Navy formed during theHellenic Period ruled bymonarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) that has been recognized as theRoyal Hellenic Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν,Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviatedΒΝ).
The Hellenic Navy is aGreen-water navy. The total displacement of the fleet is approximately 150,000 tons. The HN also operates a number of naval aviation units.[citation needed]
The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα τὸ τῆς θαλάσσης κράτος" fromThucydides' account ofPericles' oration on the eve of thePeloponnesian War.[2][3] This has been translated as "The rule of the sea is a great matter".[1] The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of ananchor in front of a crossedChristian cross andtrident, with the cross symbolizingGreek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizingPoseidon, the god of the sea inGreek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem.
"The Navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."
— Greek Government (1866)
The history of the Hellenic Navy begins with the birth of modernGreece, and due to the maritime nature of the country, it has always featured prominently in modern Greece's military history.
At the beginning of theGreek War of Independence, the naval forces of the Greeks consisted primarily of the merchant fleet of theSaronic islanders fromHydra,Spetsai andPoros and also the islanders ofPsara andSamos. The fleet was of crucial importance to the success of the revolution. Its goal was to prevent as much as possible the Ottoman Navy from resupplying the isolated Ottoman garrisons and land reinforcements from theOttoman Empire's Asian provinces.
Although Greek crews were experienced seamen, the light Greek ships, mostly armed merchantmen, were unable to stand up to the large Ottomanships of the line in direct combat. So the Greeks conducted the equivalent of modern-day naval special operations, resorting to the use offireships (Greek:πυρπολικά orμπουρλότα), with great success. It was in the use of such ships that courageous seamen likeKonstantinos Kanaris won international renown. Under the leadership of capable admirals, most prominentlyAndreas Miaoulis from Hydra, the Greek fleet achieved early victories, guaranteeing the survival of the revolution in the mainland.
However, as Greeks became embroiled in civil wars, the Sultan called upon his strongest subject,Muhammad Ali of Egypt, for aid. Plagued by internal strife and financial difficulties in keeping the fleet in constant readiness, the Greeks failed to prevent the capture and destruction ofKasos andPsara in 1824, or the landing of the Egyptian army atModon. Despite victories atSamos and Gerontas, the Revolution was threatened with collapse until the intervention of the Great Powers in theBattle of Navarino in 1827. There the Egypto-Ottoman fleet was decisively defeated by the combined fleets of theBritain,France and theRussian Empire, effectively securing the independence of Greece.
WhenIoannis Capodistrias became governor of newly liberated Greece in 1828, the Greek fleet consisted of few remaining ships, which had participated in the war for independence. The first minister of "Naval affairs" was Konstantinos Kanaris, and the most powerful ship of the fleet at that time, the frigateHellas, had been constructed in theUnited States in 1825. The Hellenic Navy established its headquarters at the island ofPoros and the building of a new series of ships began at the naval base,[4] while old ships were gradually being retired. Furthermore, continuous efforts towards the education of officers were initiated. Young people were initially trained at the military school ofScholi Evelpidon and afterwards they were transferred to the navy, as there was no such thing as a Naval Academy.[5]
In 1831, Greece descended intoanarchy with numerous areas, includingMani andHydra, in revolt. It was during this revolt that the flagshipHellas, docked at Poros, was set on fire by Admiral Andreas Miaoulis.[6] Capodistrias was assassinated a few months after.
When the newKing Otto arrived in the Greek capital,Nafplion, in 1832 aboard the British warshipHMSMadagascar, the Greek fleet consisted of one corvette, three brigs, six schooners, two gunboats, two steamboats and a few more small vessels. The first naval school was founded in 1846 on the corvetteLoudovikos andLeonidas Palaskas was assigned as its director. However, the inefficient training of the officers, coupled with conflict between those who pursuedmodernization and those who were stalwarts of the traditions of the veterans of the struggle for independence, resulted in a restricted and inefficient navy, which was limited to policing the sea and the pursuit ofpirates.
During the 1850s, the more progressive elements of the navy won out and the fleet was augmented with more ships. In 1855, the first iron propeller-driven ships were ordered from England. These were the steamshipsPanopi [el],Pliksavra,Afroessa [el], andSfendoni.[5]
On October 29, 1863, following an enthronement ceremony in his native Copenhagen and a tour of several of the European capitals, Prince Wilhelm of Denmark arrived aboard the Greek flagshipHellas, to take up the throne asKing George I of Greece. During the 1866Cretan revolt, the Royal Hellenic Navy ships were in no condition to support it. Such failure led to the government awakening to the problem of naval insufficiency and the adoption of a policy stating that: "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory." Because of this, the fleet was supplied with new and bigger ships, reflecting a number of innovations including the use of iron in shipbuilding industry and the invention of the torpedo; with these advances, the effectiveness and the appearance of the Hellenic Navy changed.
Meanwhile, after 1878, because of theRusso-Turkish War and the need to expand the Greek navy, a new and larger naval base was established in the area of Faneromeni ofSalamis and a few years later it was transferred to the area of Arapis where it remains today. At the same time theNaval Academy was founded andIlias Kanellopoulos was made Director. AFrench naval mission, headed by AdmiralLaurent Joseph Lejeune [fr], introduced a new, advanced naval organization and the methodological training of enlisted personnel through the establishment of a training school in the old building of the naval base in Poros. During the government ofCharilaos Trikoupis in 1889, the fleet was further increased with the acquisition of new battleships:Hydra,Spetsai, andPsara from France. Thus, when Greece went to war in theGreco-Turkish War in 1897, the Hellenic Navy established its dominance in the Aegean Sea. However, it was unable to change the outcome of the war on land, which was a national humiliation.
In 1907, theHellenic Navy General Staff (Γενικό Επιτελείο Ναυτικού) was founded, with then-CaptainPavlos Kountouriotis as its first head. After the war, in 1897, the Ottoman Empire embarked on a program of naval expansion for its fleet and as a response to that, in 1909, the cruiserGeorgios Averof was bought from Italy. In 1910, aBritish naval mission arrived, headed by AdmiralLionel Grant Tufnell, in order to recommend improvements in the organization and training of the navy. The mission led to the adoption of the British style of management, organization and training, especially in the area of strategy.
Shortly before theBalkan Wars, the Navy was composed of a fleet of destroyers and battleships. Its mission was primarily offensive, aiming to capture the Ottoman-held islands of the Eastern Aegean and establish naval supremacy. To that end, its commander-in-chief, Rear AdmiralPavlos Kountouriotis, established a forward base at theMoudros bay atLemnos, directly opposite theDardanelles straits. After defeating the two Turkish sallies from the Straits atElli (December 1912) andLemnos (January 1913), the Aegean Sea was secured for Greece.
The Balkan Wars were followed by a rapid escalation in 1914 between Greece and the Ottoman Empire over the status of the islands of the eastern Aegean. Both governments embarked on a naval armaments race, with Greece purchasing the battleshipsLemnos andKilkis and the light cruiserElli as well as ordering twodreadnoughts,Vasilefs Konstantinos andSalamis and a number of destroyers. However, with the outbreak of theFirst World War, construction of the dreadnoughts stopped.
Initially during the war, Greece followed a course of neutrality, with the Prime MinisterEleftherios Venizelos favouring theEntente and pro-GermanKing Constantine I advocating neutrality. This dispute eventually led to a deep political conflict, known as the "National Schism". In November 1916, in order to apply pressure on the royal government in Athens, the French confiscated the Greek ships. They continued to operate with French crews, primarily in convoy escort and patrol duties in the Aegean, until Greece entered the war on the side of the Allies in June 1917, at which point they were returned to Greece. Subsequently, the Navy took part in the Allied operations in the Aegean, in theAllied expedition in support ofDenikin'sWhite Armies inUkraine, and in limited operations during theGreco-Turkish War of 1919–1922 in Asia Minor.
After Greece's defeat, the 1920s and early 1930s were a politically turbulent period, with the economy in a bad state,[4] so the Navy received no new units, apart from the modernization of four destroyers and the acquisition of six French submarines in 1927 and fourItalian destroyers in 1929.
In 1938, Greece ordered four modernGreyhound-class destroyers in British shipyards, making a serious step towards modernization. The outbreak of war in Europe, however, allowed only two to be delivered. Greece entered World War II with a navy consisting of two battleships, one armoured cruiser, one protected cruiser, fourteen destroyers, and six submarines.[7]
During theGreco-Italian War, the Navy took over convoy escort missions in theIonian Sea and even embarked on three raids against the Italian supply convoys in theStrait of Otranto, although without success. The most important role was given to the submarines, which although obsolete, sank some Italian cargo ships in the Adriatic, losing one submarine in the process. The Greek submarine force (six boats) was however too small to be able to seriously hinder the supply lines between Italy and Albania (between 28 October 1940 and 30 April 1941, Italian ships made 3,305 voyages across the Otranto straits, carrying 487,089 military personnel, including 22 fielddivisions, and 584,392 tons of supplies while losing overall only seven merchant ships and one escort ship).[8]
WhenNazi Germanyattacked Greece, the RHN suffered heavily at the hands of theLuftwaffe, with 25 ships, including the old battleship, now artillery training ship,Kilkis and the hulk of her sisterLemnos, lost within a few days in April 1941. It was then decided to shift the remaining fleet (one cruiser – the famousGeorgios Averof – three destroyers and five submarines) to join up with theBritish Mediterranean Fleet atAlexandria.
As the war progressed, the number of Hellenic Royal Navy vessels increased after the concession of several destroyers and submarines by the BritishRoyal Navy. The most notable aspects of the Hellenic Royal Navy's participation in World War II include the operations of the destroyerVasilissa Olga which, until sunk inLeros on September 23, 1943, was the most successful Allied destroyer in theMediterranean Sea; the participation of two destroyers inOperation Overlord; and the story of the destroyerAdrias, which while operating close to the coast ofKalymnos in October 1943 hit a mine, resulting in the loss of the vessel's prow, while blowing the two-gun forward turret over the bridge. After some minor repairs at Gümüşlük Bay in TurkeyAdrias managed to return to Alexandria in a 400-mile (640 km) trip, even though all the forepart of the ship, up to the bridge, was missing.
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AfterWorld War II, the Royal Hellenic Navy was significantly strengthened by the concession of British and Italian ships. The organisation also changed in line with modern naval doctrines of that era after the entrance intoNATO in 1952. At the beginning of the 1950s, US military aid formed the core of the country's armed forces. The Royal Hellenic Navy received the firstBostwick-class destroyers which took on the nameBeasts (Θηρία), while withdrawing the British ones.
The next significant change was during the early 1970s, when Greece was the first Mediterranean naval force to order missile-equippedfast attack craft (Combattante II) and theType 209 submarines, whereas US military aid continued in the form ofFRAM II type destroyers. In 1979, the Hellenic Navy placed an order in theNetherlands for two modernStandard-class frigates (theElli class). These were the first acquisitions of new main surface vessels, rather than the use of second-hand ships, in almost four decades.
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The arrivals ofHydra class(MEKO 200 HN) and more Standard-class frigates, along with the orders for more missile corvettes,Poseidon-class (Type 209) submarines, and naval helicopters allowed for the retirement any obsolete vessels. Greece also received fourCharles F. Adams-class destroyers from the US Navy in 1991–1992. All four were decommissioned after only ten years in service, since their electronics and armament eventually became obsolete, and they required large crews. Greece orderedType 214 submarines that feature anair-independent propulsion (AIP) system,Sikorsky S-70B-6/10 Aegean Hawk helicopters, and Project 1232.2Zubr-class hovercraft fromRussia &Ukraine. Later actions included the modernization of Standard-class frigates with new electronics & radar systems, and the modernization ofGlaukos andPoseidon-class submarines with new sonars, electronics & air-independent propulsion engines (programs Neptune I/II).
The Hellenic Navy maintains a large number of surface vessels and submarines in its inventory. However, the vast majority of warships in active service are in the process of either being replaced by more modern and advanced designs, being refurbished, or being retired. The Navy is awaiting delivery of three FDI Belharra frigates from France with an option for one more after theGreek Prime Minister announced the purchase from Greece of four newmultirole heavy frigates in September 2020, that will replace olderElli class vessels. Deliberations with other parties, including the United States and Germany, lasted for months after France was eventually awarded the contract. He also announced the immediate upgrade of all fourHydra (Meko-200HN) class frigates, already in service.[9] Greece has also signed on to a program between Italy and France in making a new multirole heavy corvette, with Spain joining as well. The program, dubbed theEuropean Patrol Corvette, has also been inserted in the EU's so-calledPermanent Structured Cooperation. Naviris expected the EU fund to issue a Request for Proposal for projects in 2020, with proposals to then be submitted by industry in 2021, and for decisions on fund allocation to be made the same year.[10] Also, plans for the Hellenic Navy to acquire theSa'ar 72 Israeli corvette of the newThemistocles class came to fruition after an agreement signed in June 2020, with exclusive production in Greece.
Frigates are the main heavy ships of the Navy, with 70% of theHydra class frigates having an advanced anti-aircraft missile launching system. However, there is no dedicatedAnti-aircraft Warfare (AAW) platform in the fleet since theCharles F. Adams class destroyers were decommissioned in the late 90s. The oldest ship in the frigate fleet is just over 40 years old (HSKountouriotis, commissioned in 1978) while the youngest ship is just over 20 years old (HSSalamis, commissioned in 1998). None of the ships was equipped with aremote weapon station (RWS) for the purpose of asymmetric warfare and coastal defence and theelectronic countermeasures systems (ECM) were absent or obsolete.Raytheon has now installed new electro-optical systems on the ships that were previously not equipped with such sensors. It is certain thatHydras will undergo a modernization program but its scale is not yet known. Plan for theHydras is to extend their operational lifespan well into the 2030s. However, theElli class frigates need to be replaced by new designs.[11]
The acquisition of two, with an option for two more,Naval GroupFDIBelharra frigates with high-end AAW and deep missile strike (DMS utilisingScalp EG Naval) capabilities from France was put on hold in July 2020, despite an intense interest initially expressed by the Navy. Main reasons for this policy change by the Greek Government, were reported to be the increased cost of almost €3 billion for only two units, the exclusion by the French of co-production and the delayed delivery of the first unit, placing it in 2025 at the earliest.[12][13] Meanwhile, theUnited States had proposed the acquisition of fourMulti-Mission Surface Combatants (Freedom class MMSCs), also known asLittoral combat ships, that are already in full production forSaudi Arabia, also tested and in use by theUS Navy. The Germans came to the table with the Meko-A200 design, a new and advanced version of the Meko-200HN, that could additionally offer homogeneity to the fleet, especially after the upgrade of the ships already in service.[14]
On November 6, 2020, the Navy submitted its initial preference for the acquisition of 4 MMSC Littoral Combat Ships developed byLockheed Martin. These multi-mission frigates were part of a wider package discussed with the US,[15] that also included upgrade of the fourHydra frigates, intermediate solution ships, and participation ofHellenic Shipyards in the development of the new American FFG(X) type frigate. The FFG(X) type frigate, now namedConstellation class, is a multi-mission guided-missile ship, under development for theUnited States Navy byFincantieri Marinette Marine. However all other proposals, also including those from the Netherlands, the UK, Spain and Italy, remained on the table pending closest evaluation of the packages offered by all participating companies. The final decision by theGreek Government on the type and country of origin of the new Hellenic ships, was scheduled for 2021.
Final decision was made in September 28 of 2021 and after many months of deliberations. During his visit to the French capital and his meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, Greek Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis announced the procurement of 3+1 French FDI-HN Frigates and 3+1 Gowind-HN class Corvettes in a €5 billion deal spreading to 2026,[16] with the later class still being configured to meet the Hellenic Navy's needs.
It is almost certain that two types will replace theEllis, in order to maintain a ceiling of at least ten frigates/corvettes. A floating scenario was the purchase of heavy corvettes to replace a number of oldEllis. This scenario has become increasingly more possible, after Greece joinedItaly andFrance in theEuropean Patrol Corvette (EPC/PESCO)[17] consortium in early 2020 for the construction of a new advanced 3,000 ton corvette, withSpain joining the program as well. New ships, for all involved Navies, are not likely to enter service before 2027 or 2030 at the earliest.[18]
Greece maintains a mixed fleet of modern and older submarine units. In December 2019, theHellenic Ministry of Defence resolved a lingering issue, regarding the newType-214 (Papanikolis class) torpedoes. An order for new multipurpose heavyweightSeaHake Mod4 torpedoes, fromAtlas Elektronik, was placed.[19] The contract also included the upgrade of older torpedoes and the purchase of new torpedo batteries. The six older and non-modernized Type-209 units (Poseidon andGlavkos classes) will be gradually retired, without any replacement announced yet. The optimistic scenario is replacement with four additional Type-214s, reaching a ceiling of eight units of this type. By 2030, the recently upgraded Type-209/1500 AIP (HSOkeanos, former Type-209/1200) will have exceeded 50 years since entering service; therefore it is questionable whether it will still be part of the Greek fleet by that time.
There were two newRoussen classFast Attack Missile Craft (FAMC) under construction, bringing the number of vessels of this type up to seven; The 6th ship was commissioned operational in July 2020,[20] with the seventh and final ship expected Autumn 2020. This was after a more than ten-year delay due to financial and structural problems faced byElefsis Shipyard that was contracted to build the ships. There are no changes in the initial design, despite 20 years since the first vessel in the class entered service. The majority of the FAC were built in the late ‘70s. Four of them have been modernised extensively and the new ships have integrated all updates. All older vessels of other types, with the exemption of threeVotsis class boats which are about to be retired soon with the introduction of the newRoussens, have replaced their old MM38 and Penguin missile systems with Harpoon launchers. In addition, the boats that had no electro-optical tracking (Mirador) sensors, received new endogenous Miltech[1] TDR-10A and TDR-300 systems.[21]
The fleet also consists of tengunboats. With the exception of the fourMachitis class (Osprey HSY-56A), the rest of the gunboats need modernization and, some of them, replacement. The twoAsheville class boats are at least 50 years old. The remaining four boats (Osprey-55 and HSY-56) have already received new electro-optical systems. On June 16, 2020,ONEX Neorion Shipyards SA[dead link] in the Greek island ofSyros andIsrael Shipyards LTD signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of theThemistocles class corvette during Greek PM's visit toIsrael. This is a multipurpose warship based on the IsraeliSa'ar 72-class corvette design, at 72 meters length and displacement of around 800 tons. It will be able of speeds above 30 knots with an extended endurance. It can operate a medium size marine helicopter, but also supports unique possibilities of deploying Special Forces units. The agreement was for the construction in Greece of seven vessels, with an option for six more.[22] These will replace an equal number of older gunboats.
In February 2020, at a special event held at the Hellenic Institute of Naval Technology (HINT), the technical director of the Unit of Submersibles and Hellenic Navy Works ofHellenic Shipyards Co., presented projectAginor.[23] The project was the development and construction, in collaboration with the Navy, of an advancedAsymmetric Warfare Vessel (AWV) that uses the latest technologies and composite materials. The first vessels have already been added to the Navy’s fleet. They are capable of a number of missions including insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces, interdiction and coastal patrol, as well as search and rescue (SAR) operations.
In April 2020 the Navy received the first fourMark V Special Operations Craft, ordered via the United StatesExcess Defense Articles programme. The craft are utilised by theUnderwater Demolition Command.[24]
In 2019, the U.S. State Department cleared a $600 million foreign military sale (FMS) of sevenMH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters to Greece.[25] In July 2020, Greece signed a contract for the purchase of four new units, via this program. In November of the same year, the remaining three aircraft were also included in the order.[26] A decision was made in 2014 for the re-activation of existingLockheed P-3B Orions and their submission to a program of overhaul, upgrade and service life extension. The contract withLockheed Martin included the return of one aircraft to airworthy condition with the existing mission equipment as an "interim solution" and the complete modernization and upgrade of four other aircraft inHellenic Aerospace (HAI). The option included the complete modernization and upgrade of that aircraft as well. The "interim solution" aircraft has already been delivered, while all the remaining aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2023.[27]
The Hellenic Navy will soon begin the use of a new UAV called Archytas. This will be a VTOL aircraft used for surveillance and it will be able to take-off and land on warships. It may also be lightly armed. However, this will not be flying until 2024.[28]
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| Organization |
|---|
| History |
| Standing Deployments |
| Greek | English translation | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Γενικόν Επιτελείον Ναυτικού (ΓΕΝ) | Hellenic Navy General Staff | Athens |
| Αρχηγείον Στόλου (ΑΣ) | Fleet Headquarters | Salamis Island |
| Ναυτική Διοίκηση Αιγαίου (ΝΔΑ) | Aegean Sea Naval Command | Piraeus |
| Ναυτική Διοίκηση Ιονίου (ΝΔΙ) | Ionian Sea Naval Command | Patras |
| Ναυτική Διοίκηση Βορείου Ελλάδος (ΝΔΒΕ) | Northern Greece Naval Command | Thessaloniki |
| Διοίκηση Ναυτικής Εκπαίδευσης (ΔΝΕ) | Naval Training Command | Skaramagas |
| Διοίκηση Διοικητικής Μέριμνας (ΔΔΜΝ) | Logistics Command | Athens |
| Διοίκηση Αεροπορίας Ναυτικού (ΔΑΝ) | Navy Aviation Command | Grammatiko |
| Ναύσταθμος Κρήτης | Crete Naval Base | Souda Bay,Chania |
| Ναύσταθμος Σαλαμίνας | Salamis Naval Base | Salamis Island |
| Υδρογραφική Υπηρεσία | Hydrographic Service[30] | Athens |
| Υπηρεσία Φάρων | Lighthouse Command[31] | Piraeus |
The Hellenic Navy's fleet of warships and auxiliary boats is harboured in the two major HN naval bases atSalamis Island nearPiraeus and atSouda Bay on the island ofCrete. Internationally, the Navy used the prefixHS(Hellenic Ship) for its vessels.
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The Hellenic Navy relies mainly onfrigates as its primary surface heavy boats. The fleet consists of thirteen frigates. The types operated are theHydra class (Type:Meko-200HN)[32] and theElli class (Type:Kortenaer). TheElli-class frigatesHSElli and HSLimnos were sold to Greece during construction, the rest were bought directly from theRoyal Netherlands Navy. TheHydra-class vessels were constructed in Greece byHellenic Shipyards Co., except from HSHydra that was constructed by the German companyBlohm and Voss based inHamburg.
Modernization of six frigates was completed in 2010.[33] The intention for theHydra-class vessels was, as of February 2015, to be modernised with a €400 million upgrade that would extend their operational life to 2035.[34] These plans became a priority for the Navy in 2020, amidst rising tensions withTurkey over delimitation of maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.[35] Greece also negotiated the acquisition of four newFreedom-class frigates from the United States to replace olderEllis' and proposed to the US a wider package of upgrades and future co-production opportunities involving theConstellation-class frigate, currently being developed for theUS Navy. The final decision on the type and origin of the new frigates was scheduled to be made in 2021, after examining closely all available proposals from a list of other countries, apart from the US. France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom also participated in the selection process. Finally, in September 2021 the decision for the future of the HN frigate fleet was announced, including gradual replacement of theElli class with the French-builtBelharra Hellenique (Frégate de défense et d'intervention - FDI)-class warships, officially constituting the Navy’s newKimon class, and modernisation of theHydra class in a €5 billion deal that initially extends up to 2026.
Since 2022, three frigates of theKimon class have been under construction in France byNaval Group. These are HSKimon (F-601), HSNearchos (F-602) and HSFormion (F-603). Delivery of HSKimon (F-601) is scheduled for early 2025 and the rest are to follow over the succeeding months. Greece has a contracted option for a fourth ship to be included in the initial production line, if it so chooses.
The frigateHSPsara carries three reliquaries permanently on its onboard historical exhibition. Two contain the taxidermic hearts ofGreek War of Independence heroes AdmiralKonstantinos Kanaris and AdmiralAndreas Miaoulis and one reliquary contains the remains of heroine Rear Admiral (posthumous)Laskarina Bouboulina. The frigate's exhibition can be visited when the ship opens to the public during National Holidays and celebrations.
In January 2024, Defence Minister Nikolaos Dendias announced a proposal to manufacture sevenConstellation-class frigates in Greece.[36]
In April 2025, the Ministry of Defense announced plans to purchase twoFREMM multipurpose frigates as part of the 2030 Armed Forces modernization program.[37]
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The Hellenic Navy operates tengunboats of theOsprey andAsheville classes. Both Osprey HSY-55 and Osprey HSY-56A classes are designed by the Hellenic Navy following a modular concept so that weapons and sensors can be changed as required. They were built byHellenic Shipyards (HSY) in Greece. These vessels are similar in appearance toOsprey 55-class gunboats. The first pair was ordered on 20 February 1990. HSPyrpolitis was launched on 16 September 1992 and HSPolemistis on 21 June 1993. Each ship can carry 25 fully equipped troops. Alternative guns andHarpoon missiles can be fitted as required.Pyrpolitis was renamedKasos on 11 November 2005, after the island ofKasos in theDodecanese. The ship is based in the area of Kasos, and the name recognises the island and theKasos Massacre during theGreek War of Independence.[38] The twoAsheville-class gunboats are former US Navy vessels, bought and transferred to Greece in 1989.
The fleet consisted of nineteenmissile boats also known asfast attack missile craft. Two new ships (P78 and P79) entered service in 2019. The main purpose of these vessels is offensive anti-ship warfare. The Hellenic Navy operates four types of missile boats. These are theRoussen (Super-Vita),Laskos (La Combattante III),Kavaloudis (La Combattante IIIb) andVotsis (La Combattante IIa) classes. The La Combattante III and La Combattante IIIb classes were upgraded in 2006. For the La Combattante III craft,Thales delivered a TACTICOS combat management system, including four multi-functional operator consoles, one surveillance radar, a fire-control tracking system, one electro-optical tracking and fire control system, an integrated low-probability-of-interception radar, two target designation sights and a tactical data link. The weapon suite of the La Combattante IIIs remained unchanged. Thales was also responsible for the integration of existing guns, surface-to-surface missiles and torpedoes. The La Combattante IIa ships were decommissioned upon completion of the two newly orderedRoussen gunboats.
TheHellenic Navy Submarine Command operatessubmarines of four types. The newest and most advanced type operated is theType 214Papanikolis class, which is widely considered to be among the most advanced conventional (non-nuclear) propulsion submarines in service with naval forces at the moment. The Type 214 is adiesel-electric submarine developed by the GermanHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). It features diesel propulsion with anair-independent propulsion (AIP) system usingSiemens polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cells. A contract to build four boats for the Hellenic Navy was signed between February 2000 and June 2002. The first boat was built at HDW inKiel, Germany, and the rest atHellenic Shipyards Co. inSkaramangas, Greece. The Hellenic Navy named them thePapanikolis class. Other types operated are the209/1100Glavkos class, the209/1200Poseidon class and one boat of the209/1500 AIPOkeanos class. TheGlavkos submarines were upgraded with the "Neptune I" modernization program and thePoseidon andOkeanos vessels with the "Neptune II" program. TheOkeanos upgrade included AIP capabilities very similar to Type 214 so extensive to justify HSOkeanos as a new, separate class when compared to the rest of Type 209/1200 vessels. New dimensions are similar to Type 214 boats. In July 2025, a formal process to acquire additional four submarines was started as part of a 20 year modernization plan estimated to cost $25 billion.Type 218, Type 209NG,Scorpène-class submarine, conventionalBarracuda-class submarine (France), andBlekinge-class submarine are being considered, with some of the requirements being 25 percent participation of the domestic defense industry, havingAir-independent propulsion, minimized acoustic and magnetic signatures, among others. Additionally, at least two units are expected to be able to carry land-attack cruise missiles, enabling long distance strikes over 1000 kilometers.[39]
The Navy operates the endogenous AAWV Aginor(Αγήνωρ) which is an advancedasymmetric warfare vessel (AAWV) that uses latest technologies and composite materials making it suitable for a number of missions including insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces, interdiction and coastal patrol, as well as search and rescue (SAR) operations.
The Navy also operates theMark V Special Operations Craft, which is an American design originally developed for the US Navy Seals. The craft are utilised by the Hellenic NavyUnderwater Demolition Command[40] and are specifically customised to the needs of the Hellenic Navy and the Aegean theater of operations.
The Hellenic Navy currently operates ninetank landing ships (LST), five of the Greek-builtJason class and four heavy military hovercraft of the Ukrainian/Russian-builtZubr class. TheJason landing craft are capable of transporting 287 troops plus 22 battle tanks or any other combination of other armoured vehicles. TheZubr craft have a military lift of total 130 tonnes of cargo with three battle tanks, eight armoured vehicles, ten personnel carriers and 140 troops or combinations of those and a speed of 40 knots when fully loaded. TheZubr class (Project 1232.2 / NATO codename: "Pomornik") is anair-cushioned landing craft (LCAC). This class of militaryhovercraft is, as of 2012, the world's largest, with a standard full load displacement of 555 tons.[41] The hovercraft is designed to sealift amphibious assault units (such asmarines andtanks) from equipped or non-equipped vessels to non-equipped shores, as well as transport and plantnaval mines. The purchase of HSCephalonia for the Hellenic Navy was the first time aSoviet design had been built for and purchased by aNATO member.[42][43][44][45]
The Hellenic Navy operates seventeen replenishment and support ships includingpetroleum tankers, water tankers andauxiliary vessels. It also operates two Greek-built transport ships of thePandora class, eight coastline patrol boats, threeminehunters, four torpedo retrievers, sixteen tugboats (both open sea and harbour), fouroceanographic & scientific research vessels and two lighthouse tenders. The Navy also preserves threememorial ships including thePisa-class armoured cruiserHSGeorgios Averof which is the onlyarmoured cruiser worldwide still in existence and, although it is permanently a harboured museum ship, is ceremoniously considered in active-service carrying the Rear Admiral's Rank Flag. The Hellenic Navy also has thetriremeOlympias in commission, making the Hellenic Navy the navy with the oldest type of commissioned vessel in the world..
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The Hellenic Navy operates naval aviation units under theNavy Aviation Command,[46] that resulted from the amalgamation of theNavy Helicopter Command and the353rd Naval Cooperation Squadron, which was run jointly with theHellenic Air Force.
It currently operates:[47]
In July 2024, the Hellenic Navy demonstrated a new system calledCentaur Counter UAV System. This is made byHellenic Aerospace Industry and only costs €2,000,000. The system is mounted on the flagship HSPsara and it has knocked down Houthi drones over the Red Sea.[51]
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hellenic Navy[52] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||
| Ναύαρχος Navarchos | Αντιναύαρχος Antinavarchos | Υποναύαρχος Yponavarchos | Αρχιπλοίαρχος Archiploiarchos | Πλοίαρχος Ploiarchos | Αντιπλοίαρχος Antiploiarchos | Πλωτάρχης Plotarchis | Υποπλοίαρχος Ypoploiarchos | Ανθυποπλοίαρχος Anthypoploiarchos | Σημαιοφόρος Simaioforos | |||||||||||||||
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hellenic Navy[53] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  male |  female |  male |  female | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ανθυπασπιστής[a] Anthypaspistis | Αρχικελευστής Archikelefstis | Επικελευστής Epikelefstis | Κελευστής Kelefstis | Δίοπος Diopos | Ναύτης Naftis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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