Greek Navy. Greek Navy - status and development prospects Composition of the Greek Navy 1914 1945

Greece is a country of seas. The inhabitants of this state have at all times been famous for their knowledge and skills in the field of shipbuilding and shipping. Since ancient times, Greek sailors have preserved all the best traditions. The ships of these navigators were rightfully considered and are considered the best in the world.

The capital and other major cities of Greece were major trading points. The fleet in every settlement adjacent to the sea was and is quite strong and powerful. To this day, researchers agree that the most famous, maneuverable and strong ship of the Greeks was the trireme. They talked about her, she was feared by her enemies, who more than once came face to face with her. The trireme's ram was superior in strength to all available enemy ships. There were other military and merchant ships that more than once surprised and captured the imagination of the conquerors who tried to penetrate the land of the Greeks.

Sail, oars and other achievements of shipbuilding

Scientists who examined ancient documents and drawings of Greek shipbuilders came to the conclusion that the invention of the sail belonged to the Greeks. But first they learned to drag their boats with the skin of buffaloes and cows, and they came up with oars.

Some researchers associate the invention of the sail with the story of the rescue of Daedalus (the myth of Daedalus and Icarus). Daedalus managed to escape from the island of Crete thanks to the sail he had. Allegedly, it was he who first piled this important element onto his ship.

For quite a long time, Greek ships moved only with the help of oars. For this they used slave labor. It was possible to raise the sail if the wind was favorable. The mainland Greeks adopted some experience in shipbuilding and warfare on water from the sailors of Phenicia and Aegean island Greece. It is no secret that the representatives of the sea country used the fleet more for the purposes of war, aggressive campaigns and defensive purposes. Less Greek ships went to other countries for trade. The main distinguishing feature of the Greek fleet from all others is the huge difference between military and merchant ships. The first ones were quite resilient, they could maneuver as much as they wanted, while the merchant ones took on board tons of cargo and at the same time remained reliable until the very finish.

What were Greek ships like? Basic principles of construction

The hull of the vessel was necessarily equipped with a keel and sheathed. The Greeks were the first to make paired seams for greater reliability. The thickest areas of the planking were under the keel and at deck level. For greater reliability, the fastenings were made not only of wood, but also of bronze. Huge metal pins tightly nailed the skin to the ship's hull.

The necessary protection from waves was also provided. For this purpose, a bulwark made of canvas was laid. The ship's hull was always kept clean, painted and refinished as needed. A mandatory procedure was rubbing the casing with fat. Above the waterline, the hull was further strengthened by tarring and covering it with sheets of lead.

The Greeks never skimped on the raw materials from which ships were built. They selected the best types of wood, made perfectly strong ropes and ropes, and the material for the sail was the most reliable.

The keel was made of oak, acacia was used for the frames, and the spars were made of pine. The variety of wood species was complemented by beech paneling. The sails were originally rectangular, but later Greek shipbuilders realized that it was much more practical to use a trapezoid shape to create sails.

The very first boats were very light. Their length was only 35-40 meters. In the middle of the hull the sides were lower than in the rest of the ship. The oars were supported by special beams. A control device resembling a rudder was made from oars mounted on the stern.

There were single-tier and double-tier ships. The lightweight unirema was about 15 meters long, and it could accommodate 25 rowers. It was these ships that made up the Greek fleet during the siege of Troy. Each ship was equipped with a ram made of metal in the form of a huge 8-10 meter spear.

Types of ships of the ancient Greeks

Pentecontories. These ships were invented and popular between the 12th and 8th centuries. BC. The vessel was approximately 30-35 meters long, about 5 meters wide, with oars, and had 1 tier. The ship's speed reached a maximum of 10 knots.

Pentecontories were not deckless at all times. In a later period they were retrofitted. The deck protected the slaves well from direct sunlight and enemy shells. They placed everything necessary from provisions, drinking water, on the deck, and even drove horses along with chariots to fight, if necessary, on land. Archers and other warriors were easily accommodated on the Pentecontor.

More often, Pentecontors were used to move warriors from the scene of one event to another battle site. They actually became warships later, when the Greeks decided not only to deliver soldiers, but also to use Pentecontors to sink enemy ships by ramming them. Over time, these ships changed and became taller. Greek shipbuilders added another tier to accommodate more warriors. But such a ship began to be called differently.

Birema. This is a modified Pentecontora. Birema was better protected from enemy attacks during a naval battle. But at the same time, the number of rowers was increased, who were previously trained in synchronized actions during the trip. Slave labor was not used in this matter, since the outcome of the battle often depended on well-trained rowers. Only professional sailors were hired for such work. They received their salaries on the same basis as soldiers.

But later they began to use slave labor again, after first teaching them the skills of rowing. Often the team had only a small part of professional rowers. The rest were complete laymen in this matter.

The birema was intended specifically for combat on water. The rowers of the lower level maneuvered on the oars under the commands of the ship's captain, and the upper tier (warriors) fought under the leadership of the commander. This was very profitable, since everyone had enough to do, and everyone did their job.

Trier. This is the strongest and most powerful ship of the Ancient Greeks. The invention of this type of vessel is attributed to the Phoenicians, but it is believed that they borrowed the drawings from the Romans. But they called their ship a trireme. The name, apparently, was the only difference. The Greeks had entire flotillas consisting of triremes and biremes. Thanks to such strength, the Greeks began to dominate the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Trireme is a huge ship designed for 200 people. Most of them are rowers, the rest are archers. The ship's crew consisted of only 15-20 sailors and several assistants.

The oars on the ship were distributed proportionally into 3 tiers:

1. Upper.
2. Average.
3. Lower.

The Trireme was a very fast ship. In addition, she maneuvered exquisitely and easily rammed. Triremes were equipped with sails, but the Greeks preferred to fight when the ship was rowing. Huge Triers on oars accelerated to 8 knots, which could not be achieved with only a sail. Devices for ramming enemy ships were located both under and above water. The Greeks gave the one on top a curved shape or made it in the form of a huge monster’s head. Underwater, the ram was created in the form of a standard sharpened copper spear. The warriors pinned their greatest hopes on the underwater ram during the battle.

The main goal is to break through the hull of the enemy ship so that it sinks to the bottom. The Greeks did this skillfully, and most of the conquering ships sank. The fighting technique on Trier was as follows:

1. Try to attack from the rear while other ships take up a distracting position.
2. Before the collision itself, dodge, remove the oars and damage the side of the enemy ship.
3. Turn around as quickly as possible and completely ram the enemy.
4. Attack other enemy ships.

At the end of the 20th century, several scientists from different countries of the world recreated Trier based on ancient drawings and descriptions. Enthusiastic shipbuilders set sail on this ship. The journey helped researchers understand how movement took place on the waves, battles were fought, etc. Nowadays this ship is in the museum of Greece, not far from Piraeus.

Leptocaria

Computer in Ancient Greece

Computers entered human life relatively recently, but modern scientists have every reason to claim that the first prototype of a modern computer appeared in Ancient Greece. If we compare it in sufficient detail with a modern PC, we will find almost no similarities, but we can safely call it the progenitor of the calculator, because the lack of software input is the main thing that makes it different from modern digital devices.

Word artists in Ancient Greece

In this article I will briefly introduce the Greeks who sang life and beauty in their works. First of all, these are poets: Homer and Hesiod are the largest representatives of epic poetry, the subjects of which are mainly great wars, the joys and sorrows of an entire people; Sappho, Archilochus, Alcaeus, Alcman, Pindar and Bacchylides are representatives of lyric poetry who recited their poems accompanied by the lyre and music in general;

Aridea - hydropathic hospital in Greece

New for the 2008 winter season was the Loutra Aridea hydropathic clinic in the mountainous Aridea. The mountainous area, known since the time of Alexander the Great, abounds in hot springs located right in the open air. The water temperature in them is kept around 38-39 degrees. Around the springs we see rich vegetation, clean air and waterfalls. In 1920, the water in the springs was declared healing. Right in the middle of the forest near the Thermopotamos River (translated from Greek as warm river),

Greek comedy from antiquity to the present day. Development of the comedy genre.

The history of modern Greek naval forces dates back to 1828, when, as a result of the liberation struggle, the country declared itself independent from the Ottoman Empire. The first Minister of Maritime Affairs of independent Greece was Admiral Konstantinos Kanaris.

Emblem of the Greek Navy

Fleet in the struggle for Greek independence. Greco-Turkish wars.

During the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1832, the Greek Navy consisted of 1 corvette, 3 brigs, 6 galleys, 2 gunboats, 2 steamships and several small ships. The main naval base was located in Poros, and the Greek Navy was commanded by Admiral Andreas Miaoulis.

In 1846, the first naval school was founded.

In 1855, screw steamers Panopi, Plixavra, Afroessa, and Sfendoni were ordered in England for the Greek navy. In 1889, the Greek Navy was replenished with the ships Hydra, Spetsai and Psara, built in France.

As a result of the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the Greek Navy consolidated its dominance in the Aegean Sea.

Development of the fleet on the eve of the First World War

In 1907, the Naval General Staff of the Greek Navy was formed. The first head of the Moscow General Staff was Admiral Kontoriotis.

In 1909, the flagship of the Greek Navy, the battleship Georgios Averof, was ordered from Italy.

In 1910, a delegation headed by Admiral Tufnel was sent to Great Britain, based on the results of which a decision was made to borrow English principles for building a fleet - a training system, organizational structure, communications system, etc.

On the eve of the Balkan War in 1912, the Greek Navy included the battleship Georgios Averof, obsolete steamships Hydra, Spetsai and Psara, 8 destroyers (Thyella and Niki types), 5 obsolete German torpedo boats, 4 Acheloos-class steamships and a number of auxiliary ships. During the war, two torpedo boats were ordered from Germany (Nea Genea and Keravnos), four scouts from England (Aetos, Ierax, Leon, Panthir) and two submarines from France (Delfin, Xifias). The Greek fleet reigned supreme in the Aegean Sea, defeated the Turkish fleet in the battles of Elli and Lemnos and liberated a number of islands in the northern and northeastern parts of the Aegean Sea. Participation in the First World War and the interwar period.

With the outbreak of World War I, the ships being built in England for the Greek Navy were requisitioned and became part of the British Navy. The Greek navy participated in military operations at sea on the side of the Entente countries, patrolling with light forces in the Aegean Sea and providing escort for allied trade convoys.

At the end of the First World War, ships of the Greek Navy, as part of the expeditionary forces of the Entente countries, took part in hostilities in the Black Sea against Russia, based in Constantinople and Nicomedia.

In the early 1920s, the Greek Navy supported the actions of ground forces in Thrace and Asia Minor.

During the early stages of World War II, Greek Navy ships escorted ships supplying Allied forces in Albania. Greek submarines operate against enemy merchant ships in the Adriatic Sea. However, after Operation Barbarossa entered the active phase and the German Air Force was relocated to airfields in Bulgaria, a number of strong air strikes were launched against the ships of the Greek fleet, and Wehrmacht units entered Greek territory, capturing naval bases from land. So, in the period April 4-25, 1941, 25 ships and vessels of the Greek Navy sank from attacks by German aircraft.

The Chief of the Naval General Staff of the Greek Navy, A. Sakelariou, with the consent of the country's leaders, decides to continue resistance. The surviving ships of the Greek Navy were first relocated to Crete and then to Alexandria. In total, by the end of April 1941, 17 Greek Navy ships (an armadillo, 6 destroyers, 5 submarines and an auxiliary vessel) were concentrated in Alexandria Bay. At the British ship repair bases in Egypt and India, all Greek ships (except the EM Vasilissa Olga) underwent repairs and modernization, with the installation of modern radio-electronic equipment and weapons). Subsequently, Greek Navy ships were involved in escort operations and patrols in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. A Greek naval school operated on Egyptian territory; personnel continued to be sent to England for training, as well as for the acceptance of new ships. To ensure trawling of coastal waters, a flotilla of minesweepers was formed from new ships received in Great Britain.

In 1942, the British Navy transferred destroyers to the Greek Navy. Kanaris, Miaoulis, Pindos, Andias, corvette Sachtouris and a submarine Matrozos.

September 18, 1943 destroyer Vasilissa Olga and two British Navy torpedo boats destroyed a German troop transport off the Dodecanese.

On the night of October 22, 1943, during a shelling of the coast of the island of Kalymnos, an EM struck a mine and sank Adrias.

At the end of World War II, the remaining ships of the Greek Navy were distributed among the islands and ports of the Aegean Sea with the task of clearing the islands of the last centers of enemy resistance, as well as convoying ships with food and goods for the population of Greece.

The fleet after the end of World War II.

In 1947, destroyers were transferred from the US Navy to Greece Arslanoglou, Blessas, Pezopoulos, Meletopoulos, Xatzikonstantis, Laskos.

In 1950, a number of ships were received as a repurchase from Italy.

In 1951, the US Navy transferred torpedo boats to Greece. Doksa And Niki, minesweepers Aktion And Amvrakia, tanker Naukratousa and submarines Posidon And Amfitriti.

In the period 1958-1960, 6 landing transports, 4 EM type were transferred to the Greek Navy Fletcher (Aspis, Velos, Lonchi And Sfendoni), 2 landing support ships Blachabas And Maridakis, as well as 3 landing ships Ikaria, Lesvos, Rodos.

In 1964, the Greek Navy was replenished with a submarine Triena, as well as six minesweepers Aidon, AIglI, DaPHnE, Doris, Kichli And Kissa.

Military dictatorship and the navy

The leadership of the fleet, led by Commander Admiral K. Egkolfopoulos, did not support the military coup of 1967 and submitted their resignations. In total, in the first months of the dictatorship of the “black colonels”, 61 people were forced to leave the ranks of the officers of the Greek Navy. In May 1973, the Greek Navy officer corps was subjected to repression after being accused of attempting to oppose the regime of the "black colonels". At least 1 destroyer commander, 6 submarine commanders and 7 torpedo boat commanders were arrested. In addition, several officers fled to Italy and asked for political asylum there, including the commanders of the HM Velos Nikolaos Paaps (on May 25, 1973, the destroyer Velos left for the Italian port of Fiumitsino, thereby protesting against the ruling military regime) and the minesweeper Fedra Konstantin Kostakis.

At dawn on July 20, 1974, during an attempted military capture of Cyprus from Greece, two Greek torpedo boats T-1 and T-3 were destroyed by Turkish Air Force aircraft and gunfire from destroyers. The commander of TKA T-3 Tomakis (E. Tsomakis) died along with the crew. On the same day, the Greek landing ship L-172 Lesbos, under the command of Captain E. Chandrinos, delivered a detachment of 450 people from mainland Greece to the port of Paphos. This fact was interpreted by the Turkish side as the beginning of a full-scale landing on Cyprus. The next day, an airstrike was carried out on Greek Navy ships. However, Turkish pilots mistakenly mistook three Turkish destroyers for Greek ships, one of which sank as a result of the attack, and the other two were seriously damaged.

Since the fall of the military regime since the late 1980s, the Greek Navy has been implementing the concept of integrating into the military structures of the EU and NATO, and also participates in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN. Since 1982, defense spending has been included in five-year plans. During the Second Gulf War, 97 ships and vessels passed through the Souda naval base, which operated on a 24-hour day, delivering 13,000 tons of materials and cargo. The aircraft made 31 thousand sorties from the base, delivering 4,500 million tons of fuel to the combat area. Two frigates of the Greek Navy, Elli and Lemnos, took part in the blockade of the Iraqi coast.

Current state

According to the doctrine of integrated defense of Greece and Cyprus, modified in 1997, the Greek Navy is called upon to ensure dominance in the southeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The main objectives are to protect the integrity of state borders, protect commercial shipping and ensure the safety of the Greek population on the islands. In addition, Greek Navy ships are used to combat smuggling and illegal migration, and also operate as part of international forces in adjacent areas of the World Ocean.

FOREIGN MILITARY REVIEW No. 7/2001, pp. 41-47

NAVAL FORCES

Lieutenant A. RAZUMOVSKY

The history of Greece is closely connected with navigation. Even in the 7th century BC, the Aegean and Ionian seas were crossed by merchant ships of the ancient Hellenes, which, if necessary, quickly turned into warships. The birth of the national navy can be traced back to the beginning of the 18th century, the period of Greece’s opposition to the Turkish occupation. Subsequently, its development proceeded rather slowly due to the serious economic problems of the state. Only after the Second World War, with the country's entry into NATO and its economic strengthening, the Greek Navy gradually took a strong position in the Mediterranean, balancing its eternal rival - the Turkish fleet.

The development of the Greek naval forces was seriously influenced by the island position of a significant part of its territory, as well as its favorable location at the intersection of trade routes connecting Europe, Asia and Africa. The island belonging to Greece is of particular strategic importance. Crete is in the center of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The possibility of basing naval ships and air force aircraft, including NATO, on it is a key factor ensuring the dominance of the bloc’s armed forces in this area. Another important strategic facility is the port of Thessaloniki, located in the north of the country, which serves as an important transshipment point for sea freight transport. Due to these and a number of other factors, Greece plays a prominent role in the strategic planning of the North Atlantic Alliance, which was manifested, in particular, during the operation of the multinational force in Yugoslavia.

Among the main factors determining the maritime interests of Greece, those related to the military and economic security of the country stand out:

The continuing threat of conflict with Turkey (over disputed island possessions, boundaries of territorial waters, control over maritime and air space in the Aegean Sea, the Cyprus problem);

The need to protect and patrol the maritime economic zone and more than 3 thousand islands, control and protect sea communications;

Dependence on the supply of energy raw materials by sea due to the poor development of the pipeline system for transporting petroleum products.

Greece is one of the leading maritime powers, and merchant shipping is the most important sector of its economy. The merchant fleet under the national flag carries out 43 percent. maritime transport of EU countries and ranks third in the world after Liberian and Panamanian. According to Lloyd's ship register, it includes 1,491 vessels with a total tonnage of 24,833,280 registered tons. The tanker fleet is considered the largest of the countries in the Mediterranean basin and has the ability, under certain conditions, to control, if not the main, then a significant part of the transportation of oil and petroleum products in the region. In particular, the share of Greek ship-owning companies accounts for up to 75 percent. maritime transport in Turkey.

The naval forces are considered by the country's leadership as a tool for strengthening its position in world politics. The warships of the Greek fleet are part of the permanent NATO naval force in the Mediterranean Sea, regularly participate in the exercises of the Euromarfor operational formation created within the WEU, the main purpose of which is to conduct peacekeeping, humanitarian, search and rescue and combat operations to resolve armed conflicts and crises . Greece also intends to join the Black Sea Naval Group "Blackseafor", the agreement on the creation of which was signed in March 2001 in Istanbul by representatives of Russia, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Georgia. The tasks of a group of six to seven ships (one from each country) and under the command of a representative of the Navy of one of them (on a rotational basis, for a period of a year) will include conducting rescue and peacekeeping operations in the Black Sea.

Thus, the functional purpose of the Greek fleet comes down to protecting the national territory from aggression, ensuring national security, as well as allied interests within the North Atlantic bloc and the European Union (EU), and its main tasks in peacetime are: maintaining a favorable operational regime in area of ​​responsibility, security of navigation and conducting all types of reconnaissance. In wartime, the fleet must be ready to gain dominance in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, support ground forces in coastal areas, block the Black Sea straits, conduct amphibious operations and protect sea communications.

The general leadership of the naval forces is entrusted to the chief of the main headquarters of the naval forces (commander), who is directly subordinate to the chief of the general staff of the country's armed forces. He controls the force through his headquarters, deputy and the commanders of the three main commands: fleet, logistics and training. The commands of three naval zones (in the Aegean, Ionian Seas and northern Greece) and naval aviation are also subordinate to the commander.

The highest governing body of the Navy is the main headquarters (Athens), which develops plans for the construction and combat use of the fleet, the organization of coastal defense and the equipment of naval bases and ports. He prepares plans for the mobilization deployment of forces, determines the needs for personnel, warships, weapons and military equipment.

The Training Command, subordinate to the Chief of Naval Staff, is responsible for the combat training of formations and ships, as well as for the training of fleet personnel and reservists. Officers are trained at the Naval Officers Academy, and non-commissioned officers are trained at a special school (Petty Officers School). The command also includes three training centers, the training ship Aris and three small training sailing vessels.

The Logistics Command organizes and carries out logistical maintenance of ships, their repair and modernization, and manages the construction of coastal facilities. The naval supply center, all auxiliary vessels and the naval bases of Salamis and Souda are subordinate to him.

Fleet Command Greece (commander - vice admiral) unites five flotillas:

- submarines(eight diesel-electric submarines of the Glaukos type, project 209/1100-1200, Fig. 1);

- destroyers and guided missile frigates, which includes four EM UROs of the Kimon type (Charles F. Adams, Fig. 2), FR UROs of the Hydra type (four, project MEKO 200HN, Fig. 3), Ellie (Kortenaer, six, Fig. 4), "Epirus" ("Knox", two) and a number of auxiliary ships (the ships included in this formation perform the main defensive and offensive tasks of the fleet);

- patrol forces as part of missile boats (RKA) of the types “Laskos” (nine, Fig. 5), “Votsis” (six), “An-ninos” (four)”, torpedo boats (TKA) - “Hesperos” and “Andromeda” (each four), patrol (PKA) - “Armato-los”, “Pirpolitis”, “Tolmi”, “Di-opos Antoniou” (two each) and “Dilos”;

- landing ships(seven tank landing ships, including five modern TDKs of the “Yason” type, nationally built from 1994 to 2000 (Fig. 6), up to ten medium and small ones, including the “Zubr” type landing craft, as well as more than 80 landing craft (DKA) and landing craft);

- mine sweeping ships, including two minelayers (ZM) of the "Akgion" type, eight basic minesweepers (BTSH) of the "Alkyon" type, eight minesweepers - mine hunters (TSCHIM) of the "Adjutant" (six) and "Hunt" (two) types. The naval composition of the Greek fleet (according to the Jane's Fighting Ship reference book) includes 64 warships, including eight diesel submarines, four URO destroyers, 12 URO frigates, five corvettes, 17 landing ships, 16 minesweepers (TSCH and TSCHIM) and two minelayers, as well as 36 missile, torpedo and patrol boats, more than 70 landing boats and 60 auxiliary vessels (the tactical and technical characteristics of warships and boats are given in the table).

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WARFARE SHIPS AND BOATS OF THE GREEK NAVY

Naval Air Command organizationally includes four squadrons of deck-based helicopters (two of them are training) (a total of 18 aircraft: eight S-70B-6 Aegeen Hawk, ten AB 212 ASW/EW Agusta) and a squadron of base patrol aircraft (six P- Star Wars "Orion") Two Alouette-3 helicopters are also used for search and rescue and training purposes. In addition, in the interests of the Navy, an air squadron of Mirage 2000EG fighters from the Air Force is used (in particular, to attack surface targets using Exocet AM 39 anti-ship missiles).

Marines represented by the 32nd MP Brigade, stationed at the Volos base and part of the rapid reaction forces (2nd Army Corps). The brigade includes three MP battalions (520,521 and 575), field artillery units (105-mm towed howitzers) and tank units (Leopard-1, Fig. 7). It is currently being transferred to the Special Forces, as well. as well as the 13th Amphibious Regiment, renamed the 13th Special Operations Command, stationed in Athens and reporting directly to the Chief of General Staff. The latter includes, in particular, the 7th amphibious assault force, considered an elite unit of Greek special forces. Navy reconnaissance and sabotage groups (MYK), like the American SEALs, are equipped with the most modern combat and technical means.

The personnel of the Greek Navy totals (according to reference data) 19,950 people (3,692 officers), of which about 37 percent. (7,408) - conscripts for military service (21 months).

In accordance with the national fleet development plan for 1996 - 2000, which included costs of $17 billion, the construction of modern Hydra-class guided missile frigates was completed according to the German MEKO 200HN project (the head one was built in Germany back in 1992, the other three - at the national shipyard in Scaramanga), the last of the six Ellie-class guided missile frigates (Kortenaer) purchased from the Netherlands was put into service, five Jason-class tank landing ships were built, two Hunt-class TSCHIM were purchased from the UK ( one in mid-2000, the second in early 2001) and in Germany - the last two of the six Vostis-type RCAs (PA Combatant). In addition, contracts were signed (in January-February 2000) for the construction of three or four submarines of the new type “Cat-Sonis” according to the German project 214 and the same number of RSA of the “Super Vita” type with the British company “Vosper Thornycroft”, as well as The modernization of the first four Glaukos-class submarines was completed under an agreement with the German company HDW.

The program for 2001 - 2005 provides for further renewal of the naval personnel and increase in the combat capabilities of the fleet, achieving greater flexibility in the operational use of forces, including according to NATO plans. Considerable attention is paid to the development of submarine forces. In accordance with the contract signed in February 2000 with the German company HDW, it is planned to build a new generation submarine (Project 214), which is an ocean-going version of the German promising boats type 212A, having a greater displacement (1,700 tons surface, 1,980 tons underwater) and depth diving - up to 400 m. They are equipped with anaerobic (independent of atmospheric air) power plants and will be armed with Harpoon anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. Commissioning of the lead boat, Katsonis (built at the HDW shipyard in Kiel), is expected in 2005. Two, and possibly three other submarines of this type are expected to be built using HD W at the national shipyard in Scaramanga. Modernization and rearmament of the last four of the eight Glaukos-class submarines will continue from 2001 to 2008. They are equipped with new weapon control systems, more advanced hydroacoustic, navigation, radio-electronic and communications equipment. As a result of modernization, these boats (Project 209) will meet the standards of German submarines of type 206A.

The improvement of surface forces was associated (until recently) primarily with the acquisition in the United States of four Kidd-class guided missile destroyers (Fig. 8). However, for some political reasons (in particular, in connection with the US considering the possibility of selling destroyers to Taiwan), this question remains open. The plan for purchasing up to four modern multi-purpose corvettes seems more promising. The following requirements are imposed on the technical parameters of the ships: displacement of about 1,800 tons, length 85 - 90 m, maximum speed of at least 29 knots, armament - up to eight anti-ship missiles, 16 missiles, 76-mm AU, torpedo tubes (TA). In addition, the ship must be able to host an anti-submarine helicopter (S-70B-6). In the opinion of customers, the SAAR 5 corvette project, built in America (by the Ingalls Shipbuilding company), best meets these requirements.

In March 2000, the Eleusis shipyard began construction of the lead (in a series of three or four) Polemistis-class missile boat (British Super Vita project of the Vosper Thornycroft company). The RKA will have a total displacement of 580 tons and is armed with Exocet MM 40.76- and 30-mm AU anti-ship missiles, as well as a 533-mm TA.

By August 2001, the delivery to the Greek Navy of four landing hovercraft of the Pomornik type (Zubr, project 1232.2), ordered in January 2000 in Russia and Ukraine (two each), should be completed. The first of them, named "Kefallinia" (L180), was delivered to the port of Piraeus by the transport vessel "Smith Express" in January 2001 and towed to the MB Salamis. The ship (built in 1993) was prepared for delivery at the Russian shipyard Almaz (St. Petersburg). Gas turbine power plants will be installed on each landing stage by Hellenic Aerospace Industries

In March 2000, the Eleusis shipyard began construction of a new Etna-type refueling tanker with a displacement of 13,400 tons. The vessel is being built according to an Italian design (by the Fincantieri company), its commissioning into the auxiliary fleet is scheduled for 2004.

The large number of islands controlled by Greece (over 3 thousand) forces the support of significant coast guard forces (CG), which includes about 160 small-tonnage patrol, patrol and rescue boats. In peacetime they are operated by the Ministry of Merchant Marine, and in case of war they are transferred to the Navy (the number of personnel is 4,000 people, including 1,055 officers). The watercraft of the BCHR are periodically updated and modernized. In particular, in 1993-1994, four environmental control vessels (with a displacement of 230 tons) were purchased (in Spain), in 1994-1995 - 44 rescue boats from the British company Colwick Craft (Colchester) , and in 2000 - two hovercraft of the Slingsby type SAM 2200 (5.5 tons). The Air Defense Service was replenished in 1999

2000 with four AS 322C1 Super Puma helicopters. In July 1999, three Cessna Vigilent aircraft were also ordered for it.

The Navy's aviation fleet is being updated quite systematically. Six P-3A Orion patrol aircraft purchased from the USA in 1992 -1993 in 1996

In 1997 they were replaced by R-ZV aircraft to more effectively solve anti-submarine defense and surveillance tasks. Between 1994 and 1998, eight S-70B-6 Aegeen Hawk helicopters were purchased from Sikorsky (Fig. 9). The AB 212ASW/EW "Agusta" helicopters in service (Fig. 10) are undergoing modernization in order to extend their service life by at least 15 years. They are equipped with new surveillance systems (including infrared), electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare.

As a result of the implementation of fleet construction plans and programs, the Navy command expects to maintain the number of naval personnel and naval aviation at the existing level at least until 2010 - 2015, with a significant increase in combat effectiveness and coherence, as well as the combat capabilities of formations, units and ships. This will make it possible, according to the views of the Navy leadership, to ensure in the foreseeable future the preservation of the country's leading positions in the Eastern Mediterranean and reliable protection of the national territory in the event of aggression.

To comment you must register on the site.