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The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ??) is the naval
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
 force of Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
, part of the Greek military
Military of Greece

The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air Force...
. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands
Aegean Islands

The Aegean Islands are a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south....
, which fought in the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence

The Greek War of Independence was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1829, with later assistance from several Europe powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassal state, the Egypt under Muhammad Ali and his successors....
. During the periods of monarchy
Kingdom of Greece

The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the London Conference of 1832 by the Great Powers . It was internationally recognized in the Treaty of Constantinople , where it also secured full independence from the Ottoman Empire....
 (1833-1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (?as?????? ?a?t????, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ??).

The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "???a t? t?? Ta??ss?? ???t??" from Thucydides
Thucydides

Thucydides was a Greeks history and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th century B.C. war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 B.C....
' account of Pericles
Pericles

Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of History of Athens during the city's Age of Pericles?specifically, the time between the Greco-Persian Wars and Peloponnesian War wars....
' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War which lasted from 431-404BC was an Ancient Greece military conflict, fought by Athens and its Athenian empire against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta....
.






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The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ??) is the naval
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
 force of Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
, part of the Greek military
Military of Greece

The armed forces of Greece consist of:* The Hellenic National Defense General Staff* The Hellenic Army* The Hellenic Navy* The Hellenic Air Force...
. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands
Aegean Islands

The Aegean Islands are a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south....
, which fought in the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence

The Greek War of Independence was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1829, with later assistance from several Europe powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassal state, the Egypt under Muhammad Ali and his successors....
. During the periods of monarchy
Kingdom of Greece

The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the London Conference of 1832 by the Great Powers . It was internationally recognized in the Treaty of Constantinople , where it also secured full independence from the Ottoman Empire....
 (1833-1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (?as?????? ?a?t????, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ??).

The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "???a t? t?? Ta??ss?? ???t??" from Thucydides
Thucydides

Thucydides was a Greeks history and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th century B.C. war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 B.C....
' account of Pericles
Pericles

Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of History of Athens during the city's Age of Pericles?specifically, the time between the Greco-Persian Wars and Peloponnesian War wars....
' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War which lasted from 431-404BC was an Ancient Greece military conflict, fought by Athens and its Athenian empire against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta....
. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed christian cross
Christian cross

The Christian cross is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ....
, symbolizing the Greek Orthodoxy
Greek Orthodox Church

The term Greek Orthodox Church refers to several churches within the larger full communion of Eastern Orthodox Church Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition and whose liturgy is traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament....
, and a trident
Trident

A trident , also called a leister or gig, is a three-tine spear. It is used for spear fishing and was formerly also a military weapon....
, which is associated with Poseidon
Poseidon

In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and, as "Earth-Shaker," of earthquakes. The name of the god Nethuns in Etruscan mythology was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon....
, the god
Twelve Olympians

The Twelve Olympians or younger gods, also known as the Dodekatheon , in Greek mythology, were the principal Greek Godss of the Greek pantheon , residing atop Mount Olympus, having supplanted the Titan or older gods in the greek mythogical narrative....
 of the sea, with Pericles' words across the top.

History

Naval Jack of Greece
Lytras Nikiforos Pyrpolisi Tourkikis Navarhidas Apo Kanari
The history of the Hellenic Navy begins with the birth of modern Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
, and due to the maritime nature of the country, it has always featured prominently in modern Greece's military history.

The Navy during the Revolution


At the beginning of the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence

The Greek War of Independence was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1829, with later assistance from several Europe powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassal state, the Egypt under Muhammad Ali and his successors....
, the naval forces of the Greeks consisted primarily of the merchant fleet of the Saronic
Saronic Gulf

The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus....
 islanders from Hydra
Hydra, Saronic Islands

Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by the narrow Hydra Gulf....
, Spetsai and Poros
Poros

Poros is a small Greece island-pair in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, at a distance about 58 km south from Piraeus and separated from the Peloponnese by a 200-metre wide sea channel....
 and also the islanders of Psara
Psara

Psara is a Greece island in the Aegean Sea. It lies northwest of Khios as well as 22 km from the northwestern point of the island of Khios and 150 km eastnortheast of Athens....
. The fleet was of crucial importance to the success of the revolt. If the Greeks failed to counter the Ottoman Navy, it would be able to resupply the isolated Ottoman garrisons and land reinforcements from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
's Asian provinces at will, crushing the rebellion.

Although Greek crews were experienced seamen, the light Greek ships, mostly armed merchantmen, were unable to stand up to the large Turkish ships of the line in direct combat. So the Greeks resorted to the use of fireships , with great success. It was in the use of such ships that courageous seamen like Constantine Kanaris
Constantine Kanaris

Constantine Kanaris was a Greece admiral, freedom fighter and politician....
 won international renown. Under the leadership of capable admirals, most prominently Andreas Miaoulis of Hydra, or the notable woman captain, Laskarina Bouboulina
Laskarina Bouboulina

Laskarina Bouboulina was a Greeks heroine of the Greek War of Independence in 1821....
 of Spetsai, the Greek fleet achieved early victories, guaranteeing the survival of the revolt in the mainland.

However, as Greece became embroiled in a civil war, the Sultan called upon his strongest subject, Muhammad Ali of Egypt
Muhammad Ali of Egypt

Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha , Muhamed Ali Pasha in Albanian language or Kavalali Mehmet Ali Pasa in Turkish language, , was Wali of Egypt and Sudan, and is regarded as the "founder of modern 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 of Kasos
Kasos

Kasos is a Greece island Communities and Municipalities of Greece in the Dodecanese. It is the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea. As of 2001, its population was 990....
 and Psara
Psara

Psara is a Greece island in the Aegean Sea. It lies northwest of Khios as well as 22 km from the northwestern point of the island of Khios and 150 km eastnortheast of Athens....
 in 1824, or the landing of the Egyptian army at Modon. Despite victories at Samos and Gerontas, the Revolution was threatened with collapse until the intervention of the Great Powers in the Battle of Navarino
Battle of Navarino

The naval Battle of Navarino was fought on 20 October 1827, during the Greek War of Independence in Pylos, on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, in the Ionian Sea....
 in 1827. There the Ottoman fleet was decisively defeated by the combined fleets of the Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name and the state form of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927....
, France and the Russian Empire
Russian Empire

File:Russian Emperor Flag.jpgFile:Romanov Flag.svgThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917....
, effectively securing the independence of Greece.

When Ioannis Capodistrias became governor of newly liberated Greece, the Greek fleet consisted of few remaining ships, which had participated in the war for independence. The first minister of "Naval affairs" was Constantine Kanaris, and the most powerful ship of the fleet at that time, the frigate Hellas
Greek frigate Hellas

The Greek frigate Hellas was the flagship of the Greek War of Independence Hellenic Navy. After an arbitration hearing in New York due to financial default by the Greek government, she was delivered to Greece in 1826....
, had been constructed in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 during the years after the Anglo-American War of 1812
War of 1812

The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , was fought from 1812 to 1815.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S....
. The Hellenic Navy established its headquarters at the island of Poros
Poros

Poros is a small Greece island-pair in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, at a distance about 58 km south from Piraeus and separated from the Peloponnese by a 200-metre wide sea channel....
 and the building of a new series of ships began at the naval base 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 of Scholi Evelpidon and afterwards they were transferred to the navy, as there was no such thing as a Naval Academy.

When Capodistrias was assassinated in 1831, Greece descended into anarchy
Anarchy

Anarchy may refer to any of the following:* "No ruler ship or enforced authority." * "Absence of government; a state of lawlessness due to the absence or inefficiency of the supreme power; political disorder."...
 with numerous areas, including Mani
Mani

Mani is a name or word occuring in several ethymologically-unrelated languagues and cultures, including:* Mani , a third-century founder of Manichaeism....
 and Hydra
Hydra, Saronic Islands

Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by the narrow Hydra Gulf....
, in revolt. It was during this revolt that the flagship Hellas
Greek frigate Hellas

The Greek frigate Hellas was the flagship of the Greek War of Independence Hellenic Navy. After an arbitration hearing in New York due to financial default by the Greek government, she was delivered to Greece in 1826....
, docked at Poros, was set on fire by Admiral Andreas Miaoulis.

The Royal Hellenic Navy of King Otto


When the new King Otto
Otto of Greece

Otto of Bavaria was made the first modern king of First Kingdom of Greece in 1832 under the London Conference of 1832, whereby Greece became a new independent monarchy under the protection of the Great Powers ....
 arrived in the Greek capital, Nafplion
Nafplion

Nafplion or Nauplion is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf....
, in 1832 aboard the British warship HMS Madagascar
HMS Madagascar (1822)

HMS Madagascar was a 43-gun Fifth-rate Frigate launched on 15 November 1822.The Bavarian Prince Otto of Greece who had been selected as the King of Greece was delivered to his new capital Nafplion in 1833....
, the Greek fleet consisted of 1 corvette, 3 brigs, 6 gollettes, 2 gunboats, 2 steamboats and a few more small vessels. The first Naval School was founded in 1846 on the Corvette Loudovikos and Leonidas Palaskas was assigned as its director. However the inefficient training of the officers, coupled with conflict between those who pursued modernization 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 of pirates.

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 steamships Panopi, Pliksavra, Afroessa, and Sfendoni.

Growth of the Navy under King George

Psara Ship
During the 1866 Cretan
Crete

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and the List of islands in the Mediterranean largest island in the Mediterranean Sea at 8,336 km? ....
 revolt, the ships of the Royal Hellenic Navy 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 the Russo-Turkish War and the need to expand the Greek navy, a new and larger naval base was established in the area of Faneromeni of Salamis
Salamis Island

Salamis is the largest Greece island in the Saronic Gulf, about 1 nautical mile off-coast from Piraeus and about 16 km west of Athens. Due to its roughly crescent shape, the island is also locally known as Koulouri, after the koulouri....
 and a few years later it was transferred to the area of Arapis where it remains today. At the same time the Naval Academy
Hellenic Naval Academy

The Hellenic Naval Academy is a military academy with university status and has the responsibility to educate and suitably train competent Naval Officers for the Hellenic Navy....
 was founded and Ilias Kanellopoulos was made Director. A committee from France headed by Admiral Lejeune 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 of Charilaos Trikoupis
Charilaos Trikoupis

Charilaos Trikoupis was a Greeks politician who served as a Prime Minister of Greece seven times from 1875 until 1895.Born in Nauplion in 1832, with family ties to Messolonghi, he was the son of Spiridon Trikoupis, a politician who was Prime Minister of Greece briefly in 1833, and Ekaterini Mavrokordatos, sister of Alexandros Mavrokorda...
 in 1889, the fleet was further increased with the acquisition of new battleships:Hydra
Greek battleship Hydra

The armored battleship Hydra , named for one of the Saronic Gulf islands which played a key role in the war at sea during the Greek War of Independence, served in the Royal Hellenic Navy from 1889 - 1929....
, Spetsai
Greek battleship Spetsai

The pre-dreadnought battleship Spetsai , named for the Saronic Gulf island of Spetses which played a key role in the war at sea during the Greek War of Independence, served in the Royal Hellenic Navy from 1890 until 1929....
, and Psara
Greek battleship Psara

The armored battleship Psara , named for one of the Aegean Sea islands that played a key role in the war at sea during the Greek War of Independence, served in the Royal Hellenic Navy from 1889 - 1929....
 from France. Thus, when Greece went to war in the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1897)

The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the black '97 in Greece was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and Ottoman Empire....
 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, the Hellenic Navy General Staff (Ge???? ?p?te?e?? ?a?t????) was founded, with then-Captain Pavlos Kountouriotis
Pavlos Kountouriotis

Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis was a Greeks naval hero and twice President of Greece....
 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 cruiser Georgios Averof
Greek cruiser Georgios Averof

Georgios Averof is a Greek warship which served as the flagship of the Hellenic Navy during most of the first half of the 20th Century. Although popularly known as a battleship , it is in fact an armored cruiser , and the only such ship still in existence....
 was bought from Italy. In 1910, an English naval mission arrived, headed by Admiral Tuffnel, in order to recommend improvements in the organization and training of the navy. The mission led to the adoption of the English style of management, organization and training, especially in the area of strategy.

World War I and after: 1914 - 1940


(for a list of ships in the fleet in this era, see The Hellenic Navy in 1917
The Hellenic Navy in 1917

Ships of the Hellenic Navy in 1917See also*History of the Hellenic Navy*List of naval ships of Greece...
)
Rhs Lemnos
The Navy, shortly before the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars

The Balkan Wars were two wars in South-eastern Europe in 1912?1913 in the course of which the Balkan League first conquered Ottoman Empire-held Macedonia , Albania and most of Thrace and then fell out over the division of the spoils....
, was composed of a destroyer and battleship fleet. Its mission was primarily offensive, aiming at capturing the Ottoman-held islands of the Eastern Aegean, and establish naval supremacy in the area. To that end, its commander-in-chief, Rear Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis
Pavlos Kountouriotis

Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis was a Greeks naval hero and twice President of Greece....
, established a forward base at the Moudros
Moudros

Moudros is a Communities and Municipalities of Greece on the island of Lemnos, in the Lesbos Prefecture, Greece. It covers the entire eastern peninsula of the island, with a land area of 185.127 km?....
 bay at Lemnos
Lemnos

Lemnos is an island in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. It is part of the prefecture of Greece of Lesbos Prefecture and has a considerable area, about 477 km?....
, directly opposite the Dardanelles
Dardanelles

.The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara....
 straits. After defeating the two Turkish sallies from the Straits at Elli
Naval Battle of Elli

The Battle of Elli took place on the December 3, 1912 as part of the First Balkan War.The Hellenic Navy, led by Rear Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis on board the flagship Greek cruiser Georgios Averof, defeated the Ottoman Navy, just outside the entrance to the Dardanelles ....
 (December 1912) and Lemnos
Naval Battle of Lemnos

The Battle of Lemnos , fought on January 5, 1913, was a naval battle during the First Balkan War, which defeated an attempt of the Ottoman Empire to reclaim supremacy over the Aegean Sea from Greece....
 (January 1913), the Aegean Sea was secured for Greece.

The Balkan Wars were followed by a rapid escalation between Greece and the Ottoman Empire over the as yet unclear status of the islands of the Eastern Aegean. Both governments embarked on a naval armaments race, with Greece purchasing the obsolete battleships Limnos
Greek Battleship Limnos

Limnos, sometimes spelled Lemnos , was a 13,000 ton Mississippi class battleship Greek battleship named for a crucial naval Naval Battle of Lemnos of the First Balkan War....
 and Kilkis
Greek Battleship Kilkis

Kilkis was a 13,000 ton Mississippi class battleship Greek battleship named for a crucial Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas of the Second Balkan War. Laid down for the United States Navy in 1903, she served in that navy as the USS Mississippi from 1908 until 1914, when both Mississippi-class ships were purchased from the United States by Greece...
 and the light cruiser Elli
Greek cruiser Elli

Elli was a 2,600 ton Greek light cruiser named for a Naval Battle of Elli of the First Balkan War in which Greece was victorious.She was originally ordered built as the Fei Hung by the China government, but due to the Xinhai Revolution in 1912-13, the order was cancelled....
 as well as ordering two dreadnought
Dreadnought

Dreadnought may refer to:* Dreadnought, a type of battleship of the early 20th century, following the launch of the HMS Dreadnought in 1906...
s, the Vasilefs Konstantinos
Bretagne class battleship

The three Bretagne class Dreadnought#The "super-Dreadnoughts" battleships were built for the French Navy during the World War I. They were named after French provinces....
 and the Salamis
Greek battleship Salamis

The Greek battleship Salamis was a dreadnought ordered for the Greek Navy from the AG Vulkan shipyard in Hamburg, Germany in 1912. She was named after the battle of Salamis....
 and a number of destroyers. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, construction of the dreadnoughts stopped.

Initially during the war, Greece followed a course of neutrality, with the Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos

Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greeks revolutionist, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century....
 favoring the Entente
Triple Entente

File:Map Europe alliances 1914-en.svgThe Triple Entente was the name given to the loose alignment of the British Empire, French Third Republic, and Russian Empire after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
 and pro-German King Constantine I
Constantine I of Greece

Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars, in which Greece captured Thessaloniki, and doubled in area and population....
 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 July 1917, at which point they were returned to Greece. Subsequently, the Greek Navy took part in the Allied operations in the Aegean, in the Allied expedition in support of Denikin's White Armies in the Ukraine
Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south....
, and in the operations of the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)

The Greco-Turkish War of 1919?1922, also called the War in Asia Minor, or the Greek campaign of the Turkish War of Independence, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May 1919 and October 1922....
 of 1919–1922 in Asia Minor.

After Greece's catastrophic defeat, the 1920s and early 1930s were a politically turbulent period, with the economy in a bad state, so the Navy received no new units, apart from the modernization of four destroyers and the acquisition of six French submarines in 1927 and four Italian destroyers
Freccia class destroyer

The Freccia class destroyer was a class of destroyers built for the Regia Marina, the Italian Royal Navy, in the 1930s. It was basically an enlarged version of the earlier Turbine class destroyer destroyers....
 in 1929.

World War II


In 1938, Greece ordered four modern Greyhound class
G and H class destroyer

The G and H class destroyers were a ship class of twenty-four destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1935–1939. They served in World War II and sixteen were lost, with a seventeenth being written off as a constructive total loss....
 destroyers in English 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 one armoured cruiser, 14 destroyers, and six submarines.

During the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War

The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Kingdom of Italy and Kingdom of Greece which lasted from October 28, 1940 to April 23, 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II....
, the Navy took over convoy escort missions in the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea

The Ionian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy, including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula, to the west, by southwestern Albania, including Saranda and Himara, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and Lefkas to the east....
 and even embarked on three raids against the Italian supply convoys in the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto

The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Its width is 45-55 nautical mile . The strait is named after the Italy city of Otranto....
. The most important role was given to the submarines, which although obsolete, managed to sink several Italian cargo ships in the Adriatic.

But when Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the colloquial English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party , which established a Totalitarianism dictatorship that existed from 1933 to 1945....
 attacked Greece
Battle of Greece

The Battle of Greece was a World War II battle that occurred on the Greek mainland and in southern Albania. The battle was fought between the Allies of World War II and Axis powers of World War II forces....
, the RHN suffered heavily at the hands of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe

is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, with 25 ships, including the old battleships Kilkis and Limnos, lost within a few days in April 1941. It was then decided to shift the remaining fleet (one cruiser -the famous Averof
Greek cruiser Georgios Averof

Georgios Averof is a Greek warship which served as the flagship of the Hellenic Navy during most of the first half of the 20th Century. Although popularly known as a battleship , it is in fact an armored cruiser , and the only such ship still in existence....
-, three destroyers and five submarines) to Alexandria
Alexandria

Alexandria , with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in Egypt, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports....
 in Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
.

As the war progressed, the number of Hellenic Royal Navy vessels increased after the concession of several destroyers and submarines by the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
. The most notable aspects of the Hellenic Royal Navy's participation in World War II include the operations of the destroyer Vassilissa Olga
Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga (D 15)

Vasilissa Olga was a Greek destroyer of the Vasilefs Georgios class, which served with the Royal Hellenic Navy during the Second World War, becoming its most distinguished and successful ship until her loss in 1943....
 which, until sunk in Leros
Leros

Leros is a Greece island and Communities and Municipalities of Greece in the Dodecanese prefecture in the southern Aegean Sea. It lies 317 km from Athens's port of Piraeus, from which it can be reached by an 11-hour ferry ride ....
 in September 23 1943, was the most successful Allied destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea or Ocean off the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia....
; the participation of two destroyers in Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of Western Front during World War II by Western Allies forces. The operation began with the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944 , among the largest amphibious warfares ever conducted....
; and the story of the destroyer Adrias
HMS Border (L67)

Adrias was a Hunt class destroyer destroyer that was originally built for Royal Navy as HMS Border but never commissioned. Before her completion, she was loaned to Hellenic Navy on July 20, 1942 and commissioned as Adrias on August 5, 1942 in order to relieve heavy losses of ships sustained by the Royal Hellenic Navy during the...
, which while operating close to the coast of Kalymnos
Kalymnos

Kalymnos, is a Greece island and Communities and Municipalities of Greece in the southeastern Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Dodecanese and is located to the west of the peninsula of Bodrum , between the islands of Kos and Leros : the latter is linked to it through a series of islets....
 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 Gümüslük Bay in Turkey the Adrias managed to return to Alexandria
Alexandria

Alexandria , with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in Egypt, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports....
 in a trip, even though all the forepart of the ship, up to the bridge, was missing.

Modern Era 1950-1990


After World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, 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 into NATO
NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949....
 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 first Bostwick-class destroyers which took on the name Beasts (T???a), 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-equipped fast attack craft
Fast Attack Craft

A Fast Attack Craft is a small , fast ship for offensive tasks, mainly equipped with surface-to-surface missiles and/or anti-ship torpedoes....
 (Combattante II) and the Type 209 submarine
Type 209 submarine

Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany....
s, whereas US military aid continued in the form of FRAM II
Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization

The Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization program of the United States Navy extended the lives of World War II-era destroyers by shifting their mission from a surface attack role to that of a submarine hunter....
 class destroyers. In 1979, Hellenic Navy placed an order in the Netherlands
Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
 for two modern Standard class
Kortenaer class frigate

The Kortenaer class was a ship class of frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. They were built to be a general purpose frigate; able to combat all surface, submarine and aircraft targets....
 frigates (the Elli class
Elli class frigate

Elli-class vessels are a group of frigates operated by the Hellenic Navy. The ships are of Netherlands origin. The first two ships , which had lengthened hangars and different armament were built specifically for the Hellenic Navy....
). These were the first acquisitions of new main surface vessels, rather than the use of second-hand ships, in almost four decades.

Present Status

Hellenic Navy was enhanced to its maximum point during the last decade. The arrivals of Hydra class (MEKO 200 HN)
MEKO

The MEKO family of warships was developed by the German company Blohm + Voss.MEKO is a registered trademark. The portmanteau stands for "Mehrzweck-Kombination" ....
 and more Standard class frigates along with the orders for more missile corvettes, Poseidon class Type 209 submarine
Type 209 submarine

Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany....
 submarines and naval helicopters allowed the retirement of the obsolete vessels.

At the same time, Greece was the first Mediterranean country to receive guided missile destroyers, after the transfer of four Charles F. Adams class destroyers
Charles F. Adams class destroyer

The Charles F. Adams class of guided missile destroyers was a group of twenty-nine built between 1958 and 1967. Twenty-three of these ships were built for the United States Navy, three for the Royal Australian Navy, and three for the West German Bundesmarine....
 from the US Navy in 1992 . All four have since been decommissioned since their electronics and armament were obsolete while they required large crews.

The advance continued when Greece ordered Type 214 submarine
Type 214 submarine

The Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerk. It features diesel propulsion with an air-independent propulsion system using Siemens AG polymer electrolyte module hydrogen fuel cells....
s that feature an air-independent propulsion
Air-independent propulsion

Air-independent propulsion is a term that encompasses technologies which allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a Submarine snorkel to access Earth's atmosphere oxygen....
 system, Sikorsky S-70B-6/10 Aegean Hawk helicopters and Project 1232.2 Zubr class hovercraft
Zubr class LCAC

The Russian designed Zubr or Project 1232.2 class is the world?s largest military hovercraft and serves as an Air-cushioned landing craft. Note that the Bora class guided missile hovercraft is bigger but has side walls so it is not considered a true hovercraft because some of the side structure is in the water....
 from Russia.

Recent plans included the modernization of Standard class frigates with new electronics and radar systems, the modernization of Glaukos and Poseidon class submarines with new sonars, electronics and air-independent propulsion engines (programs Neptune 1/2), while on January, 2009 the order of six (4+2) FREMM multipurpose frigates
FREMM multipurpose frigate

The FREMM Multipurpose Frigate is a ship designed by DCN and Fincantieri to operate in anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, and be capable of carrying out deep strikes against land targets....
 was announced by the Hellenic Navy.

Organization


Main Commands

  • Ge???? ?p?te?e?? ??????? ?µ???? (G??T?) Hellenic National Defense General Staff
    Hellenic National Defense General Staff

    The General Staff of National Defense is the senior Staff of the Hellenic Armed Forces. It was established in 1950, when the separate armed services ministries were consolidated into the Ministry of National Defence ....
  • Ge????? ?p?te?e??? ?a?t???? (G??) Hellenic Navy General Staff
    • ?????e??? St???? (?S) Fleet Headquarters
      • ?a?t??? ??????s? ???a??? Aegean Sea Naval Command, Piraeus
        Piraeus

        Piraeus is a city in the periphery of Attica, Greece, and a municipality within Athens urban area, located 10 km southwest of its center....
         
      • ?a?t??? ??????s? ?????? Ionian Sea Naval Command, Patras
        Patras

        Patras is Greece's third largest urban centre and the capital of the prefecture of Achaea, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens....
         
      • ?a?t??? ??????s? ???e??? ????d?? Northern Greece Naval Command, Thessaloniki
        Thessaloniki

        Thessaloniki , Thessalonica, or Salonica is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country in Greece and the capital of Macedonia , the nation's largest Regions of Greece....
    • ??????s? ?a?t???? ??pa?de?s?? Navy Training Command
    • ??????s? ??????t???? ????µ?a? Paymaster Command
      • ?a?sta?µ?? S??da? Souda Bay
        Souda Bay

        Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour on the northwest coast of the Greece island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour....
                 Naval Dock Crete
      • ?a?sta?µ?? Sa?aµ??a? Salamis Naval Base
        Salamis Naval Base

        The Salamis Naval Base or Naval Dock Salamis is the largest Greece naval base. It is located close to the major population centre of Athens and Piraeus and occupies an area at the Northeast of Salamis Island and an area in Amphiali and Skaramaga, across the sea channel which connects the Gulf of Elefsis to Saronic Gulf....
         and
    • ?d????af??? ?p??es?a Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service
    • ?p??es?a F???? Lighthouse Service


Combat Arms


  • ??????s? F?e?at?? (?FG) Frigate Command
  • ??????s? ?a?????f???? (??F) Gunboat Command
  • ??????s? ?a???? S?af?? (??S) Fast Attack Craft Command
  • ??????s? ?p?ß?????? Submarine Command
  • ??????s? ?µf?ß??? ????µe?? Amphibious Assault Forces Command
    • Greece does not have a marine corps
      Marine corps

      Marines are military forces optimised for operations at sea. Historically marine forces are part of a navy. However, in some countries the marine force is under independent command....
       established as a separate branch attached to the naval service. Instead, the Army
      Hellenic Army

      The Hellenic Army is the land force of Greece. The Army of the modern nation of Greece has a history of nearly 190 years and came to its present form, gradually through those years....
        includes the 32nd Marine Brigade (32? ?a??a???a ?e???a?t??); the Navy provides the landing craft etc.
  • ??????s? ?p?ß?????? ?atast??f?? Underwater Demolition Command
    Underwater Demolition Command

    The Underwater Demolition Command , until 2002 known as the Underwater Destruction Unit , is the Greek Navy's elite special forces unit....
  • ?e??p???a ?a?t???? S??e??as?a? Fleet Air Arm
    • ??????s? ?????pt???? ?a?t???? Naval Helicopter Command, Kotroni Naval Fort,
    • 353 ????a ?a?t???? S??e??as?a? (353 ???S) 353rd Naval Cooperation Squadron, joint operation with Hellenic Air Force
      Hellenic Air Force

      The Hellenic Air Force is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the world....
       112 Combat Wing, Elefsis, flying Lockheed P-3B Orion aircraft.
    • ?????d??µ?? ?µf????? = Amfiali Heliport


Combat Support Arms

  • ??????s? ?a???p???µ?? Minesweeper Command


Combat Service Support

  • S???? ???s??s?? ?a?t???? ?a?t???? (S???) Naval Tactical Training School (under Fleet Headquarters)


Fleet


Frigates


  • 4 × Frigates Hydra Class Meko-200HN
    Hydra class frigate

    The Hydra class are a group of four frigates 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....
  • F Hydra (F 452)
    Greek frigate Hydra (F-452)

    The Greek Frigate Hydra is the lead ship of the Greek Hydra class frigate and flagship of the Hellenic Navy. It is based on the Blohm + Voss MEKO 200 frigate class and was built in its shipyard; Three more vessels were built by Hellenic Shipyards Co....
      F/G ?d?a
  • F Spetsai (F 453) F/G Sp?tsa?
  • F Psara
    Greek frigate Psara (F-454)

    The Greek Frigate Psara is the third ship of the Greek Hydra class frigate. It is based on the Blohm + Voss MEKO 200 frigate class and was buil by Hellenic Shipyards Co....
     (F 454) F/G ?a??
  • F Salamis (F 455) F/G Sa?aµ??


  • 10 × Frigates Class Standard Kortenaer-class
    Kortenaer class frigate

    The Kortenaer class was a ship class of frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. They were built to be a general purpose frigate; able to combat all surface, submarine and aircraft targets....
  • F Elli (F 450) Elli-class
    Elli class frigate

    Elli-class vessels are a group of frigates operated by the Hellenic Navy. The ships are of Netherlands origin. The first two ships , which had lengthened hangars and different armament were built specifically for the Hellenic Navy....
      F/G '????
  • F Limnos (F 451) Elli-class
    Elli class frigate

    Elli-class vessels are a group of frigates operated by the Hellenic Navy. The ships are of Netherlands origin. The first two ships , which had lengthened hangars and different armament were built specifically for the Hellenic Navy....
      F/G ??µ???
  • F Adrias (F 459) F/G ?d??a?
  • F Aigaion (F 460) F/G ???a???
  • F Navarinon (F 461) F/G ?a?a?????
  • F Kountouriotis (F 462) F/G ????t?????t??
  • F Bouboulina (F 463) F/G ?p??µp?????a
  • F Kanaris (F 464) F/G ?a?????
  • F Themistoklis (F 465) F/G Teµ?st?????
  • F Nikiforos Fokas (F 466) F/G ????f???? F????


Six frigates of the Kortenaer-class
Kortenaer class frigate

The Kortenaer class was a ship class of frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. They were built to be a general purpose frigate; able to combat all surface, submarine and aircraft targets....
 are currently undergoing modernization by the Hellenic Shipyards Co.
Hellenic Shipyards Co.

Hellenic Shipyards is a large Shipyard in Skaramangas near Athens, Greece.Its origins are connected with a shipyard created in order to build battleships in 1939....
.

Fast Attack Guided Missile Vessels
Missile boat

This is for the type of warship. For other uses of Missile Boat, see Missile Boat A Missile Boat is a small craft armed with anti-ship missiles....
 


  • 5 × Roussen Class
    Roussen Class FACM

    The Roussen class is a 7-strong class of British-designed fast attack crafts for the Hellenic Navy. The class is named after its lead ship, which in turn is named after Lt Nikolaos Roussen, a World War II submarines officer who was killed in the suppression of the April 1944 Greek Armed Forces mutiny in April 1944....
  • PCFG Roussen (P 67) ??? ???ss??
  • PCFG Daniolos (P 68) ??? ?a??????
  • PCFG Krystallidis (P 69) ??? ???sta???d??
  • PCFG Grigoropoulos (P 70) ??? G??????p????? (under construction)
  • PCFG Ritsos (P 71) ??? ??ts?? (under construction)
    • Two more, being the option of the initial order, ordered in September 2008.


  • 4 × La Combattante III
    FACM Class La Combattante III

    Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante III refers to four ships ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. There are similar to the FACM Class La Combattante IIa, but are bigger and armed with torpedoes....
  • PCFG Laskos (P 20) ??? ??s???
  • PCFG Blessas (P 21) ??? ?p??ssa?
  • PCFG Mykonios (P 22) ??? ????????
  • PCFG Troupakis (P 23) ??? ????p????


  • 5 × La Combattante IIIb
    FACM Class La Combattante IIIb

    Similar but newer craft design than FACM Class La Combattante III, with main difference that they use Kongsberg Penguin Mk 2 Mod 3 missiles. Six ships were built in Greek Shipyards but Kostakos sunk after collision with a ferry in November 1996....
  • PCFG Kavaloudis (P 24) ??? ?aßa???d??
  • PCFG Degiannis (P 26) ??? ?te???????
  • PCFG Xenos (P 27) ??? ?????
  • PCFG Simitzopoulos (P 28) ??? S?µ?t??p?????
  • PCFG Starakis (P 29) ??? Sta?????


  • 6 × La Combattante IIa
    FACM Class La Combattante IIa

    Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa were originally built for the German Navy as Type 148 Tiger class fast attack craft. When they were transferred to Hellenic Navy, the class was renamed Combattante IIa, as with similar France made ships....
     (S148)
  • PCFG Votsis (P 72) ??? ??ts??
  • PCFG Pezopoulos (P 73) ??? ?e??p?????
  • PCFG Vlachavas (P 74) ??? ??a??ßa?
  • PCFG Maridakis (P 75) ??? ?a??d????
  • PCFG Tournas (P 76) ??? ???????
  • PCFG Sakipis (P 77) ??? Sa??p??


Submarines


  • 4 × Glaukos class (Type 209 (1100) Submarine
    Type 209 submarine

    Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany....
     - Neptune I upgrade)
  • S Glafkos (S 110) ?/? G?a????
  • S Nirefs (S 111) ?/? ???e??
  • S Triton (S 112) ?/? ???t??
  • S Protefs (S 113) ?/? ???te??


  • 4 × Poseidon class (Type 209 (1200) Submarine
    Type 209 submarine

    Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany....
     - Neptune II upgrade)
  • S Poseidon (S 116) ?/? ??se?d??
  • S Amphitriti (S 117) ?/? ?µf?t??t?
  • S Okeanos (S 118) ?/? O?ea???
  • S Pontos (S 119) ?/? ???t??


  • 0 × Papanikolis class (Type 214 Submarine
    Type 214 submarine

    The Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerk. It features diesel propulsion with an air-independent propulsion system using Siemens AG polymer electrolyte module hydrogen fuel cells....
    )
    • 4 under construction (deliveries postponed indefinitely)
    • S Papanikolis (S 120) ?/? ?apa???????
    • S Pipinos (S 121) ?/? ??p????
    • S Matrozos (S 122) ?/? ?at?????
    • S Katsonis (S 123) ?/? ?ats????


Landing Vessels
Landing craft

Landing craft are boats and seagoing vehicles used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an Amphibious warfare. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during World War II....
 


  • 5 × Landing Ships Jason Class (LST)
  • LST Chios (L 173) ?/G ????
  • LST Samos (L 174) ?/G S?µ??
  • LST Ikaria (L 175) ?/G ??a??a
  • LST Lesvos (L 176) ?/G ??sß??
  • LST Rodos (L 177) ?/G ??d??


  • 5 × Heavy Landing Ships (LCU, Type 520)
  • LSH Ios (L 167) ?/? '???
  • LSH Paros (L 179) ?/? ?????
  • LSH Sikinos (L 168) ?/? S??????
  • LSH Irakleia (L 169) ?/? ??a??e??
  • LSH Pholegandros (L 170) ?/? F????a?d???


  • 4 × Hovercraft Landing Ships Class Zubr class LCAC
    Zubr class LCAC

    The Russian designed Zubr or Project 1232.2 class is the world?s largest military hovercraft and serves as an Air-cushioned landing craft. Note that the Bora class guided missile hovercraft is bigger but has side walls so it is not considered a true hovercraft because some of the side structure is in the water....
  • LCAC Kephallenia (L 180) ??? ?efa?????a
  • LCAC Ithaki (L 181) ??? ?????
  • LCAC Kerkyra (L 182) ??? ??????a
  • LCAC Zakynthos (L 183) ??? ????????


Gunboats


  • 3 × Thetis class gunboat
    Thetis class gunboat

    The Thetis-class gunboat, originally developed for the German Navy and first commissioned in 1961, is a class of naval vessel currently in service in the Hellenic Navy....
  • FS/PG ?iki (P 62) ?/F ????
  • FS/PG Doxa (P 63) ?/F ???a
  • FS/PG Eleftheria (P 64) ?/F ??e??e??a


  • 2 × Osprey 55 class gunboat
    Osprey 55 class gunboat

    The gunboat class Osprey 55 is a Denmark-designed class of naval ship currently in service in the Hellenic Navy. Two ships were ordered in March 1988....
  • PG Armatolos (P 18) ?/F ??µat????
  • PG Navmachos (P 19) ?/F ?a?µ????


  • 2 × Gunboats Class HSY-56
  • PG Kasos (P 57) ?/F ??s??
  • PG Polemistis (P 61) ?/F ???eµ?st??


  • 4 × Osprey HSY-56A class gunboat
    Osprey HSY-56A class gunboat

    The Gunboat class Osprey HSY-56A is a class of naval vessel currently in service in the Hellenic Navy. These ships are similar to Gunboats Class HSY-55....
  • PG Machitis (P 266) ?/F ?a??t??
  • PG Nikiphoros (P 267) ?/F ????f????
  • PG Aittitos (P 268) ?/F ??tt?t??
  • PG Krataios (P 269) ?/F ??ata???


  • 2 × Asheville class gunboat
    Asheville class gunboat

    The Asheville class gunboats were a class of small military ships built for the United States Navy in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The class is named for Asheville, North Carolina in western North Carolina and the seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina....
  • PC/PG Tolmi (P 229) ?/F ???µ?. Ex USN USS Green Bay (PG-101)
  • PC/PG Hormi (P 230) ?/F ??µ?. Ex USN USS Beacon (PG-99)


Minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)

A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations....
 / Mine-Layers


  • 6 × Minesweepers - Coastal
  • MSC Alkyon (M 211) ?/? ??????
  • MSC Avra (M 214) ?/? ???a
  • MSC Aidon (M 240) ?/? ??d??
  • MSC Kichli (M 241) ?/? ?????
  • MSC Kissa (M 242) ?/? ??ssa
  • MSC Pleias (M 248) ?/? ??e???


  • 2 × Mine-Hunters / Hunters Class Hunt
    Hunt class MCMV

    The Hunt class is a ship class of thirteen mine countermeasure vessels of the Royal Navy. They combine the separate role of the traditional Minesweeper and that of the active minehunter in one hull....
  • MSC/MSH Evropi (M 62) ?/T? ????p?
  • MSC/MSH Kallisto (M 63) ?/T? ?a???st?


  • 2 × Mine-Hunters - Coastal / Hunters Class Osprey
    Osprey class coastal minehunter

    Osprey-class coastal minehunters are designed to find, classify, and destroy moored and bottom naval mines from vital waterways. They use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control....
  • MSC Evniki (M 61) ?/? ??????. Ex USN USS Pelican
    USS Pelican (MHC-53)

    USS Pelican is the third ship of Osprey class coastal minehunter.See also ...
    , MHC-53.
  • MSC Kalypso (M 64) ?/? ?a????. Ex USN USS Heron
    USS Heron (MHC-52)

    The USS Heron is the second ship of .Heron was transferred to the Hellenic Navy under a foreign military sales agreement on 16 March 2007. Heron will be renamed Kalipso....
    , MHC-52.


Coastline Patrol Vessels
Patrol boat

A patrol boat is a small naval ship generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuary or river environments....
 


  • 4 × Coastline Patrol Vessels - Type Nasty (formerly torpedo boats)
  • CP Andromeda (P 196) ?? ??d??µ?da
  • CP Kyknos (P 198) ?? ??????
  • CP Pigasos (P 199) ?? ???as??
  • CP Toxotis (P 228) ?? ????t??
  • 2 x Coastal Patrol Vessels - Type Esterel
  • CP Diopos Antoniou (?-286) ?? ?/? ???p?? ??t?????
  • CP Kelevstis Stamou (?-287) ?? ?/? ?e?e?st?? St?µ??


Oil tankers and fleet replenishment ships


  • 1 × AOR Etna class
  • AOR Promithefs (A 374) ?G? ???µ??e??


  • 2 × Luneburg Type 701C class, Replenishment Ships
  • AO Axios (A 464) ?/F ?????
  • AO Aliakmon (A 470) ?/F ?????µ??


  • 4 × Oil Tankers
  • OT Zefs (A 375) ?/F ?e??
  • OT Ouranos (A 416) ?/F ???a???
  • OT Hyperion (A 417) ?/F ?pe????
  • OT Orion (A 376) ?/F O????


  • 1 × ATV Munitions Transport Vessel
  • ATV Evros (A 415) ?? ?ß???


Personnel Transport Vessels


  • 4 × Personnel Transport Vessels
  • PTV Pandora (A 419) ??? ?a?d??a
  • PTV Pandrosos (A 420) ??? ???d??s??
  • PTV Naxos (L 178) ??? ????? (converted LCU)
  • PTV Serifos (L 195) ??? S???f?? (converted LCU)


Hydrographic
Hydrography

Hydrography focuses on the measurement of physical characteristics of waters and marginal land. In the generalized usage, "hydrography" pertains to measurement and description of any waters....
 Vessels


  • 5 × MRO Vessels
  • MRV Naftilos (A 478) ?/G-O/? ?a?t????
  • OCV Pytheas (A 474) ?/G-O/? ????a?
  • OCV Strabon (A 476) ?/G-O/? St??ß??
  • OCV Akatos 14 (A? 14) ?/G-O/? ??at?? 14


Other auxiliary vessels
Auxiliary ship

An auxiliary ship is a naval ship which is designed to operate in any number of roles supporting combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliaries are not primary combatants, although they may have some limited combat capacity, usually of a self Defense nature....
 

  • 1 x Thetis (AN 103) class, net/buoy tender
  • MRV Thetis (A 307) FT T?t??


  • 2 × Lighthouse tenders
  • LTV Karavogiannos (A 479) ?F? ?a?aß???a????
  • LTV Lykoudis (A 481) ?F? ?????d??


  • 6 × Water Tankers
  • WT Kalliroie (A 468) ?/F ?a??????
  • WT Trichonis (A 466) ?/F ????????
  • WT Doirani (A 476) ?/F ???????
  • WT Kerkini (A 433) ?/F ?e?????
  • WT Prespa (A 434) ?/F ???spa
  • WT Stymphalia (A 469) ?/F St?µfa??a


Aircraft inventory

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Lockheed P-3 Orion || || Maritime Patrol || P-3B || 4 || Operated by the Hellenic Air Force
Hellenic Air Force

The Hellenic Air Force is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the world....
. |----- | Sikorsky S-70 Aegean Hawk || || Naval Helicopter || S-70B-6
S-70B || 8
3 || |----- | Agusta AB212
Bell 212

The Bell 212 Twin Huey is a two-bladed, twin-engined, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, the 212 is marketed to civilian operators and has a fifteen-seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers....
 || || Anti-submarine Helicopter || AB 212ASW || 8 || |----- | Agusta AB212
Bell 212

The Bell 212 Twin Huey is a two-bladed, twin-engined, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, the 212 is marketed to civilian operators and has a fifteen-seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers....
 || || Naval ESM Helicopter || AB 212EW || 2 || in storage |----- | Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III

The A?rospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation and later manufactured by A?rospatiale of France....
 || || Helicopter || SA 319B || 2 || Used as trainers |}

Recently decommissioned ships


Fast attack craft torpedo


  • 4 x FACT Class Jaguar
    • PCF Hesperos (P 50) (ex German Seeadler P6068), decommissioned 21 December 2004
    • PCF Kyklon (P 53) (ex German Greif P-6071), decommissioned 7 October 2005
    • PCF Lelaps (P 54) (ex German Kondor P-6070), decommissioned 21 December 2004
    • PCF Typhon (P 56) (ex German Geier P-6073), decommissioned 7 October 2005


Mine-Sweepers


  • MSC Kleio (M 213) Class A (decommissioned 3 October 2006)
  • MSC Erato (M 60) Class Castano (decommissioned 3 October 2006)


Designations explanation


  • F: Frigates
  • FACM: Fast Attack Craft Missile
  • FACT: Fast Attack Craft Torpedo
  • FFG: Guided Missile Frigate
  • FS: Fast Ship
  • L: Landing ships
  • LCAC: Landing Craft Air Cushion
  • LST: Landing Ship Tank
  • M: Mine Warfare Ships
  • MSC: Mine Sweeper Craft or Mine Sweep Craft
  • MSH: Mine Sweeper/Hunter
  • P: Patrol ships
  • PC: Patrol Craft
  • PCF: Patrol Craft Fast
  • PCFG: Patrol Craft, Fast, Guided missile
  • PG: Patrol Guard
  • S: Submarines


See also

  • Hellenic Naval Cadets Academy
    Hellenic Naval Academy

    The Hellenic Naval Academy is a military academy with university status and has the responsibility to educate and suitably train competent Naval Officers for the Hellenic Navy....
  • Greek Merchant Navy

Photo gallery




External links

  • . Note regarding copyright: The Hellenic Navy allows free use and distribution of images from their web site with proper attribution, however they have no set copyright policy for derivative work. See also appropriate template from Greek Wikipedia: :el:Template:?????.


Excellent resource with details for ships of the Hellenic Navy.