Thetis-class gunboat

HS Agon
Class overview
Operators:	Hellenic Navy
Completed:	5
Active:	0
Retired:	5
General characteristics
Type:	Gunboat/Submarine hunter
Displacement:	584.2/743.7 tonnes
Length:	70 m
Beam:	8.2 m
Draught:	2.7 m
Propulsion:	2 MAN V84V diesels; 6,800 hp(m) (5 MW); 2 shafts
Speed:	19.5 knots (36.1 km/h) maximum
Range:	2,760 nmi (5,110 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:	57-62
Sensors and processing systems:	Search radar: Thomson-CSF TRS 3001; E/F-band. Navigation radar: Kelvin Hughes 14/9; I-band. Sonar: Atlas Elektronik ELAC 1 BV (hull-mounted).
Electronic warfare & decoys:	Thomson-CSF DR 2000S ESM
Armament:	Guns: Two twin Boffors L70/Breda 40 mm/70); Two Rheinmetal 20 mm. Torpedoes: Six 324-mm Mk 32 (2 triple) tubes; 4 Honeywell Mk 46 Mod 5 Missiles: Three portable FIM-92 Stinger launchers. Depth charges: 2 rails Weapons control: Signaal Mk 9 TFCS

The Thetis-class gunboats, was a class of five naval ships of the Hellenic Navy, originally developed for the German Navy as Class 420 and first commissioned in 1961. Similar in size to corvettes, all five vessels were built by Rolandwerft, Bremen. In the German Navy there were designated as submarine hunters (German: U-Jagdboote).

The main armament of Thetis class ships consisted of 20-mm and 40-mm guns, Mk 46 Mod5 torpedoes and mines and A/S mortars. The ships were also equipped with sonar. Later the A/S mortars were replaced by a second 40-mm gun and the single torpedo tubes by triple mountings. Upgrades started in 2000 may have included enclosed 40-mm gun mountings and Rheinmetall 20-mm guns to replace the MGs. The last two ships of the class were decommissioned on 22 April 2010.

Ships

• Doxa, P-63 ("Glory", ex-Najade, P 6054): commissioned in the German Navy on 12 May 1962, recommissioned in the Hellenic Navy on 6 September 1991, decommissioned on 22 April 2010.^[1][2][3]
• Eleftheria, P-64 ("Liberty", ex-Triton, P 6055): commissioned in the German Navy on 10 November 1962, recommissioned in the Hellenic Navy on 7 September 1992, decommissioned on 22 April 2010.^[1][4]
• Niki, P-62 ("Victory", ex-Thetis, P 6052): commissioned in the German Navy on 1 July 1961, recommissioned in the Hellenic Navy on 6 September 1991, decommissioned on 2 April 2009.^[1][5]

• Agon, P-66 ("Struggle", ex-Theseus, P 6056): commissioned in the German Navy in 1962, recommissioned for Hellenic Navy in the 8 November 1993, decommissioned in 2004, used as target and sunk with two Penguin missiles on 21 October 2008.^[1][6][7]
• Karteria, P-65 ("Perseverance", ex-Hermes, P-6053): Commissioned in the German Navy in 1962, recommissioned in the Hellenic Navy on 7 September 1992, decommissioned in 2004.^[1][8]

References