Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

DSEI Japan 2023
  • News
  • Event News
    • SNA 2023
    • Euronaval 2022
    • Indo Pacific 2022
    • Sea Air Space 2022
    • DIMDEX 2022
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»6th Roussen-class FACM for the Hellenic Navy Started Sea Trials
Hellenic Navy picture

6th Roussen-class FACM for the Hellenic Navy Started Sea Trials

The Hellenic Navy's sixth of seven Super Vita / Roussen-class fast attack craft missile (FACM) started sea trials.

Xavier Vavasseur 24 Jul 2019

According to an Hellenic Navy statement published July 23, 2019:

The Navy General Staff announced that on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, during the preliminary inspections of the installation of the systems of the 6th FACM under construction, a limited duration sailing was carried out in Elefsina Gulf with the presence of personnel of the Navy (Nautical Elefsina).

Final ship acceptance (HAT, SAT) board checks of the No. 6 FACM are scheduled to be executed in the third quarter of this year.

The vessel, with hull number P 78, was launched on 1 June 2018 at Elefsis Shipyard.

Launch of P78

The story of the Hellenic Navy’s Super Vita is complex and spans across many years:

A contract for the construction of three modern missile boats was signed in January 2000. The construction took place at the Elefsis Shipyards, while Vosper Thornycroft (now BAE Systems Maritime) provided the design, logistical support and equipment for the ships. On August, 2003 and September, 2008 options that provided the acquisition of four more vessels were activated with the last ship to be commissioned in 2015.

On September 25, 2008, a 299 million Euro contract was signed between the Greek State and the Elefsis Shipyards for the construction of the two remaining vessels of the class, P-78 and P-79. In the meantime Elefsis was still building some of the remaining vessels According to the contract, the delivery times of the two FACs were 46 months from the start of the contract for the first ship and 52 months for the second.

Due to serious financial problems of the shipyards and the Greek state, as well as a conflict of opinion with BAE Systems, there has been a 10 year delay in the construction of the two ships. When the Elefsis shipyard went bankrupt, the Hellenic navy took over the production line and the salaries of the shipyard workers to finish the construction of the last two ships of the class: The Navy was the manager and it was using the infrastructure and the personnel of the shipyards.

Roussen-class

The Roussen-class FACM are based a stretched variant of the successful Vita design in used with the navies of Qatar and Oman.

They have a length of 62 meters, a of beam 9.5 meters, a draft of 2.6 meters for a full load displacement of 668 tons. They have a crew of 45 sailors and a maximum speed of 35 knots.

In terms of weapon systems, these FACM are fitted with a 76mm main gun, 8x MM40 Block 2 & 3 anti-ship missiles, a RAM surface-to-air missiles launcher and 2x 30mm guns.

First ship of the class P 67 Ypoploiarchos Roussen was launched in November 2002 and commissioned in December 2005. Last ship of the class, P 79 will likely be launched next year. The name of the 6th and 7th vessels are yet to be official announced.

They are fitted with early 2000s sensors and systems (MW08 3D G-band surveillance radar, Mirador EO sensor, Scout MkII radar and Tacticos combat management system all from Thales). It is not clear if the last two ships of the class will get upgraded systems.

Fast Attack Craft Hellenic Navy 2019-07-24
Tags Fast Attack Craft Hellenic Navy
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

Related Articles

Greece postpones corvette program decision to early 2023

Greece postpones corvette program decision to early 2023

Dimitris Mitsopoulos 20 Dec 2022
Today, the Greek Government decided to postpone the decision on the new corvette program for early 2023. A competition between Fincantieri and Naval Group.
First Greek-designed special operations craft receives its armament

First Greek-designed special operations craft receives its armament

Dimitris Mitsopoulos 16 Dec 2022
Agenor, the first Greek indigenously designed and built special operations craft (SOC) became the first Hellenic Navy vessel to receive a remote weapon station (RWS).
Naval Group’s offer based on Gowind corvettes to sustain hundreds of jobs in Greece

Naval Group’s offer based on Gowind corvettes to sustain hundreds of jobs in Greece

Naval News Staff 09 Dec 2022
The French team has submitted on December 1st, 2022 a very attractive offer for the corvettes program of the Hellenic Navy. Based on the sea-proven Gowind corvette and an optimised delivery schedule, it includes a Hellenic Industry Participation plan with 30% of the program value in Greece and hundreds of jobs in Greece over the next 40 years.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 Naval News
All Rights Reserved