Greek frigate Hydra

{{Short description|Greek naval ship, launched 1991}}

{{other ships|Greek ship Hydra}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox ship begin}} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:Greek frigate Hydra (F-452) underway the Ionian Sea on 17 March 2022 (220317-N-DH793-2889).JPG |Ship caption=Hydra (F-452) (Φ/Γ Ύδρα (F-452) }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=Greece |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Greece|naval}} |Ship name=Hydra |Ship namesake=the Hydra Island |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Blohm + Voss |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=25 June 1991 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned=1992 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= |Ship status={{ship in active service}} |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|Hydra|frigate}} |Ship displacement=3,350 tons |Ship length={{convert|117|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|14.8|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|6|m|abbr=on}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*2 shaft CODOG, controllable pitch propellers , 2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines {{convert|60,656|hp|kW|abbr=on}} 2 MTU 20V 956 diesel engines, {{convert|10,040|hp|kW|abbr=on}} |Ship speed=*{{convert|31|kn}} maximum {{convert|20|kn}} cruise |Ship range={{convert|4,100|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|16|kn|abbr=on}} (diesels) |Ship endurance= |Ship complement=173 |Ship sensors=*Signaal MW08 air search radar Signaal DA08 air surface radar 2 Signaal STIR fire control radar Racal Decca 2690 BT navigation radar Raytheon SQS-56/DE 1160 hull-mounted and VDS sonar SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy Mk XII Mod 4 IFF radar 2 Signaal Mk 73 Mod 1 radar for ESSM Signaal STACOS Mod 2 combat data system SAR-8 IR searcher |Ship EW=*Argo AR 700 ESM system Telegon 10 ESM system SME 150 ESM Argo APECS II ECM system 4 SCLAR decoy launchers |Ship armament=*1 × Mk 45 Mod 2A, 2 × Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm CIWS, 2 Mk141 4 × 8 Harpoon missile launchers, Mk 48 Mod 2 vertical launcher for 16 × RIM-162 ESSM, 2 Mk32 Mod 5 2 × {{convert|324|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} torpedo tubes for Mk46 torpedoes |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft=1 |Ship aircraft facilities=Hangar for 1 Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk helicopter |Ship notes= }}

Hydra (F-452) (Greek Φ/Γ Ύδρα) is the lead ship of the Greek {{sclass|Hydra|frigate}} and flagship of the Hellenic Navy. The ship was built in the same shipyard as the Blohm + Voss MEKO 200 frigate class, on which its design was based. Three more vessels were built by Hellenic Shipyards Co. at Skaramagas in following years.{{cite book

| author=Vice Admiral C. Paizis-Paradellis, HN

| title=Hellenic Warships 1829-2001

| location=Athens, Greece

| publisher=The Society for the study of Greek History

| year=2002

| isbn=960-8172-14-4|pages=78| edition=3rd

}} It is the fifth ship in the Hellenic Navy to bear the name Hydra.

Hydra was the first of four frigates of the MEKO 200 type (the four being Hydra, {{ship|Greek frigate|Spetsai|F-453|2}}, {{ship|Greek frigate|Psara|F-454|2}}, and {{ship|Greek frigate|Salamis|F-455|2}}) ordered by the Greek government. The ship was delivered to the Hellenic Navy on 15 October 1992 and first sailed in Greek waters on 28 January 1993. The crest of the frigate Hydra is the same as that of her predecessor. It is based on one of the flags which the ships of Hydra island sailed under during the 1821 revolution.{{cite web|url=http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=247&lang=en|accessdate=26 January 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201152051/http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=247&lang=en|title=HS HYDRA|archivedate=1 February 2014}}

In April 1988, the Hellenic Navy proposed and approved the four frigates of the MEKO 200 type in an effort to modernize its fleet. After a lengthy negotiation process, the following contracts were signed to fulfill the program:

• A contract with ΜΕΚΟ Consortium (MC), Blohm + Voss AG and Thyssen Rheinstahl Technik to build the frigate in Germany.
• A second contract with MEKO Consortium to supply parts to Hellenic Shipyards to build the other three Hydra-class frigates in Scaramanga, Greece

On 12 May 2020, Hydra sailed off from her port in Salamis Island to participate in Operation Irini, however the ship was damaged for unknown reasons and had to be replaced by another ship of the same class, Spetsai.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defence-point.gr/news/i-fregata-quot-spetsai-quot-stin-epicheirisi-irini-giati-apochorei-i-quot-ydra-quot|title=Η φρεγάτα "ΣΠΕΤΣΑΙ" στην Επιχείρηση IRINI… Γιατί αποχωρεί η "ΥΔΡΑ"; | Defence-point.gr|date=27 May 2020}}

In March 2024, in response to the Red Sea crisis, Hydra was deployed to the Red Sea to protect shipping from Houthi attacks as part of the European Union's Operation Aspides.{{Cite web |last=Mitsopoulos |first=Dimitris |date=2024-03-03 |title=Greek frigate 'Hydra' enters Red Sea |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/03/greek-frigate-hydra-enters-red-sea/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Naval News |language=en-US}} The ship was equipped with new electronic warfare and anti-drone systems for the mission.{{cite web | last=Ιωαννίδης | first=Σταύρος | title=Πολεμικό Ναυτικό: Οι νέες καθυστερήσεις για τις φρεγάτες Constellation και οι δύσκολες επιλογές | website=Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ | date=2024-04-03 | url=https://www.kathimerini.gr/politics/562962883/polemiko-naytiko-oi-nees-kathysteriseis-gia-tis-fregates-constellation-kai-oi-dyskoles-epiloges/ | language=el | access-date=2024-04-30}} On March 13, she spotted two Houthi drones and shot them down with her 127mm gun.https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1233219/greek-frigate-hydra-joins-aspides-operation-in-the-red-sea/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

In 25 April, the frigate Hydra fired shots at two drones as part of its mission in EUNAV FOR ASPIDES operation (Operation Shields) in the Gulf of Aden. According to reports, the incident occurred while the navy frigate was helping to protect a merchant vessel in the maritime route. The Greek frigate reportedly shot at two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in accordance with the Rules of Engagement, where one drone was shot down, and the other changed course.

The ship returned to Greece on 6 June 2024.{{cite web | last=Νικήτας | first=Γιάννης | title=Επανάπλους της φρεγάτας ΥΔΡΑ στη Σαλαμίνα έπειτα από τρεις μήνες πολεμικής δράσης στην Ερυθρά θάλασσα | website=Defence Review | date=2024-06-06 | url=https://defencereview.gr/epanaploys-tis-fregatas-ydra-sti-sala/ | language=el | access-date=2024-06-08}}