View source for Hydra-class frigate

{{Short description|Class of Greek frigates}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Greek frigate HS Spetsai, F-453.jpg
| Ship caption = [[Greek frigate Spetsai|HS ''Spetsai'']]  transits the Mediterranean Sea during Phoenix Express (2008)
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Hydra'', [[MEKO 200|MEKO 200 HN]]
| Builders = [[Blohm + Voss]] , [[Hellenic Shipyards Co.|Hellenic Shipyards]]
| Operators = {{navy|Greece}}
| Class before = 
| Class after = 
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = 
| Built range = 
| In service range = 
| In commission range = 1992&ndash;present
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 6
| Total ships completed = 4
| Total ships cancelled = 2
| Total ships active = 4
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships preserved = 
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Frigate]]
| Ship displacement = * 3,360 tons standard
* 4,000 tons full load
| Ship length = {{convert|117.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|14.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = {{convert|6.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = *2 shaft [[CODOG]], [[controllable pitch propeller]]s ,
*2 [[General Electric LM2500]] gas turbines {{convert|60,656|hp|lk=on|abbr=on}}
*2 [[MTU Friedrichshafen|MTU]] 20V 956 [[diesel engine]]s, {{convert|10,040|hp|abbr=on}}
| Ship speed = * {{convert|31|kn|lk=in}} (gas turbine)
* {{convert|21|kn}} (diesel only)
| Ship range = {{convert|4100|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|18|kn}}
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship complement = * 173
*22 officers, 151 enlisted
| Ship crew = 
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = * Signaal MW08 air search radar
* Signaal DA08 air surface radar
* 2 Signaal STIR fire control radar
* Racal Decca 2690 BT navigation radar
* Raytheon SQS-56/DE 1160 hull-mounted and VDS sonar
* [[SLQ-25 Nixie]] torpedo decoy
* Mk XII Mod 4 IFF radar
* 2 Signaal Mk 73 Mod 1 radar for ESSM
* Signaal STACOS Mod 2 combat data system
* SAR-8 IR searcher
| Ship EW = * Argo AR 700 [[Electronic Support Measures|ESM]] system
* Telegon 10 [[Electronic Support Measures|ESM]] system
* Argo APECS II [[Electronic Counter Measures|ECM]] system
* 4 SCLAR decoy launchers
| Ship armament = *1× [[5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun|Mk 45 Mod 2A 5" gun]],
*2× [[Phalanx CIWS|Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS]],
*2 Mk141 2×4 [[Boeing Harpoon|Harpoon missile]] launchers,
*Mk 48 Mod 2 vertical launcher for 32× [[RIM-162 ESSM]],
*2 Mk32 Mod 5 2×324mm T/T for [[Mark 46 torpedo|Mk46 torpedo]]es
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = [[Hangar]] for 1 [[SH-60 Seahawk|Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk]] helicopter
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Hydra'' class'''<ref>[http://www.seaforces.org/marint/Hellenic-Navy/Frigate/Hydra-class.htm Hydra class MEKO-200HN frigates, article with many photos in seaforces.org ]</ref><ref>[https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/hydra/ Hydra class frigates of the Hellenic Navy, presentation in naval-technology.com]</ref> are a group of four [[frigate]]s in service with the [[Hellenic Navy]]. They were designed in [[Germany]] and are part of the [[MEKO]] group of modular warships, in this case the [[MEKO 200]] design. The programme was authorised in 1988 and partially paid for with FMS aid and provisioned for the commission of six vessels. The first ship was built in Germany and commissioned in 1992 but suffered a serious fire while working up near [[Isle of Portland|Portland]], [[England]]. Repairs were completed in 1993. The [[Greece|Greek]] built warships were delayed due to financial problems on the part of the [[Hellenic Shipyards Co.|Hellenic Shipyards]] completing in the late 1990s which also led to limiting the total number of vessels to four mainly after the acquisition of eight {{sclass|Kortenaer|frigate|0}} frigates from the [[Netherlands]] in the late 1990s.

==Upgrade programs==
In 2007, an upgrade of the STIR fire control system to allow the firing of the [[RIM-162 ESSM]] [[surface-to-air missile]] was launched. {{ship|Greek frigate|Salamis|F-455|2}} was the first to be upgraded and, in August 2008, successfully completed a live firing test. The other three ''Hydra'' vessels were upgraded during 2008.

On April 25, 2018 the Greek defense minister [[Panos Kammenos]] announced that the modernization of the four vessels is in progress but without presenting any further details about the program.<ref>[http://www.onalert.gr/stories/fregates-meko-autes-enai-oi-fregates-pou-diathetei-to-pn/65102 The 4 Hydra class frigates to be modernized, onalert.gr 25/04/2018 (in Greek)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628183550/http://www.onalert.gr/stories/fregates-meko-autes-enai-oi-fregates-pou-diathetei-to-pn/65102 |date=2018-06-28 }}.</ref>

In May 2019, the Joint Chiefs of General Staff Council (ΣΑΓΕ) decided the commencement of the modernization program for the four ships of the class.<ref>[https://www.defence-point.gr/news/elafrys-kai-tmimatikos-o-eksygchronismo-ton-meko-200hn-mod3-toy-pn Article about the modernization program of MEKO 200HN frigates in the defense online magazine "Defencepoint.gr" (in Greek) 19/05/2019]</ref> The program was finally approved by the Greek Parliament in April 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2023/0425/152072833/detail.shtml | title=ЦАМТО / / ВМС Греции намерены модернизировать фрегаты класса «Гидра» }}</ref>

==Ships==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Ship
! Namesake
! Builder
! Commissioned
!Status
|-
| [[Greek frigate Hydra|F-452 ''Hydra'' Ύδρα]]
|[[Hydra Island|Hydra]]
| [[Blohm + Voss]]
| November 12, 1992
|In service
|-
| [[Greek frigate Spetsai|F-453 ''Spetsai'' Σπέτσαι]]
|[[Spetses]]
| [[Hellenic Shipyards Co.|Hellenic Shipyards]]
|October 24, 1996
| In service
|-
|[[Greek frigate Psara|F-454 ''Psara'' Ψαρά]]
|[[Psara]]
|[[Hellenic Shipyards Co.|Hellenic Shipyards]]
|April 30, 1998
|In service
|-
|[[Greek frigate Salamis|F-455 ''Salamis'' Σαλαμίς]]
|[[Salamis Island|Salamis]]
|[[Hellenic Shipyards Co.|Hellenic Shipyards]]
|December 16, 1998
|In service
|}

==See also==
* [[List of naval ship classes in service]]
* {{sclass|Vasco da Gama|frigate|1}} - built for Portugal
* {{sclass|Anzac|frigate|1}} - built for Australia and New Zealand
* {{sclass|Barbaros|frigate|1}} - Built for the Turkish Navy
* {{sclass2|Valour|frigate|1}} - MEKO A-200 frigates built for the [[South African Navy]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
US Navy 100528-N-3136P-212 The Greek navy frigate HS Spetsai (F-453) transits alongside the Military Sealift Command container and roll-on-roll-off ship USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016).jpg|HS ''Spetsai'' transits alongside the Military Sealift Command container and roll-on-roll-off ship {{USNS|LCPL Roy M. Wheat|T-AK 3016|6}}
File:HS Psara (F 454) 23 10 06 1138.jpg|HS ''Psara''
File:Salamis F455.jpg|HS ''Salamis''
File:Greek frigate Psara (F454).jpg|A view from {{USS|Seattle|AOE-3|6}}, showing HS ''Psara'' underway conducting a replenishment at sea in 2002
File:Greek frigate Hydra (F-452) underway the Ionian Sea on 17 March 2022 (220317-N-DH793-2889).JPG|HS ''Hydra'' in 2022
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080530180829/http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/frigates_m_en.asp Hellenic Navy website]

{{Ship classes of the Hellenic Navy}}
{{Hydra class frigate}}

[[Category:Naval ships of Greece]]
[[Category:Hydra-class frigates| ]]
[[Category:Frigate classes]]