page_title: Hellenic Navy
section_title: Frigates
hierarchical_section_title: Hellenic Navy / Equipment / Ships / Frigates
caption_attribution_description: Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 Flagship Greek Frigate HS Spetsai in the Red Sea while transiting to the Persian Gulf on Operation INAS BAHR (Friendly Seas), (Photo by 2nd Lt. Gianpiero Sanna ITA Navy (SNMCMCG2 PAO) NATO Maritime Command Naples Date Taken:02.16.2011 Location:NAPLES, IT Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/bez2nv
context_page_description: The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy it was known as the Royal Hellenic Navy.
  The Hellenic Navy is a Green-water navy. The total displacement of the fleet is approximately 150,000 tons and it is the 22nd largest navy in the world by total number of vessels. The HN also operates a number of naval aviation units.
  The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα τὸ τῆς θαλάσσης κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been translated as "The rule of the sea is a great matter". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek 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
context_section_description: The Hellenic Navy relies mainly on frigates as its primary surface heavy boats. The fleet consists of thirteen frigates. The types operated are the Hydra class (Type: Meko-200HN) and the Elli class (Type: Kortenaer). The Elli-class frigates HS Elli and HS Limnos were sold to Greece during construction, the rest were bought directly from the Dutch Navy. The Hydra-class vessels were constructed in Greece by Hellenic Shipyards Co., except from HS Hydra that was constructed by the German company Blohm and Voss based in Hamburg. Modernization of six frigates was completed in 2010. The intention for the Hydra-class vessels was, as of February 2015, to be modernised with a €400 million upgrade that would extend their operational life to 2035.
  In 2018, Greece entered talks with France for the purchase of the next generation, multipurpose, mid-size, stealth frigate (FTI) "Belharra", that is being developed by the French company DCNS (now Naval Group) and has already been selected by the French Navy as its next generation platform. As an alternative at the time, the Hellenic Navy was also proposed the Greek-designed, next-gen, stealth corvette/frigate "ALS Class-100", developed by the Greek company NSD Group.
  In July 2019 and later in October of the same year, a top Naval Group representative and the French Minister of Defence confirmed that, after signing a Letter of Intent (LoI), Greece and France were actively implementing a bilateral agreement, that included the purchase from Greece of two multi-purpose FTI frigates with an option for two additional ships and relative infrastructure for future co-production for a cost of $2 billion, starting in 2023. The construction of the first Greek FTI vessel would begin immediately after the completion of the first French ship, subsequently involving fully the Hellenic Navy in the FTI Belh@rra project. Thereafter, cost for construction of future vessels would decrease significantly, taking into account Greece's participation with coproduction. The configuration for the Hellenic Navy vessels would differ from the French ones, only in respect to the interest of Greece for integration of wide-range, deep-strike missiles (MBDA's Naval Cruise Missile), that could be exclusively supported by the Greek configuration. In July 2020 however, the almost certain final decision for purchase was put on hold, since some of these initial aspects of the agreement were negatively reviewed during talks between the parties and while the Navy was now examining additional options.
  The Greek frigate HS Psara carries three reliquaries permanently on its onboard historical exhibition. Two contain the taxidermic hearts of Greek War of Independence heroes Admiral Constantine Kanaris and Admiral Andreas 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.
caption: The Hellenic Navy flagship frigate HS Spetsai in the Red Sea while transiting to the Persian Gulf on Operation INAS BAHR (Friendly Seas)
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