Hydra (F-452) (Greek Φ/Γ Ύδρα) is the lead ship of the Greek 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.[1] 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,,, and) 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.[2]
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:
On 12 May 2020, Hydra sailed off from her port in Salamis Island to participate in Operation Irini, however the ship was damaged due to unknown reasons and had to be replaced by another ship of the same class, Spetsai.[3]
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.[4] The ship was equipped with new electronic warfare and anti-drone systems for the mission.[5] On March 13, she spotted two Houthi drones and shot them down with her 127mm gun.[6]
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.[7]