La Combattante III-class fast attack craft

PGFG Blessas (P 21)

The La Combattante III type missile boats of the Hellenic Navy are a class of four fast attack craft ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. The vessels had no class name but are referred to by type.[1] They are similar to the La Combattante IIa-class fast attack craft already in service, but are larger and armed with torpedoes. A second group of six were ordered in 1978, to be built under license in Greece and use Penguin Mk 2 Mod 3 missiles.

Modernization

The Hellenic Navy has decided to modernize the Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante III and La Combattante IIIb. For the four Combattante III fast attack craft, Thales will deliver a TACTICOS combat management system, including four multifunctional operator consoles, one surveillance radar, one fire control tracking system, one electro-optical tracking and fire control system, an integrated low probability of interception radar, two target designation sights and a tactical data link. The weapon suite of the Combattante IIIs will remain unchanged. Thales will also be responsible for the integration of these existing guns, surface-to-surface missiles and torpedoes. The first of the four ships were ready by mid-2006, followed by the other three with six months intervals.

Ships

The ships of this class have been named after officers of the Hellenic Navy killed during World War II. They are:[2]

Pennant
number		 Greek
name		 Transliterated
name		 Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Status
P 20 (original P 50) Αντιπλοίαρχος Λάσκος Antiploiarchos Laskos Commander Vasileios Laskos, captain of the submarine Katsonis, killed when the ship was sunk by the Germans on 14 September 1943 Constructions mécaniques de Normandie 20 April 1977 Active
P 21 (original P 51) Πλωτάρχης Μπλέσσας Plotarchis Blessas Lieutenant Commander Georgios Blessas, captain of the destroyer Vasilissa Olga, killed when the ship was sunk by the Germans on 26 September 1943 Constructions mécaniques de Normandie 7 July 1977 Active
P 22 (original P 57) Υποπλοίαρχος Μυκόνιος Ypoploiarchos Mykonios Lieutenant Sofoklis Mykonios, 2nd officer of the submarine Katsonis, killed when the ship was sunk by the Germans on 14 September 1943 Constructions mécaniques de Normandie 10 February 1978 Active
P 23 (original P 52) Υποπλοίαρχος Τρουπάκης Ypoploiarchos Troupakis Lieutenant Stefanos Troupakis, 3rd officer of the submarine Katsonis, killed when the ship was sunk by the Germans on 14 September 1943 Constructions mécaniques de Normandie 8 November 1977 Active

Specifications

(per Conway[3])

  • Displacement, tons: 359 standard; 425 full load
  • Length (m): 56.2
  • Beam (m): 7.9
  • Draught (m): 2.5
  • Range (nmi): 700 at 32 kn; 2,000 at 15 kn
  • Speed (knots):36.5 kn
  • Main machinery: 4 MTU 20V 538 TB92 diesels; 18,000 bhp(m) (12.54 MW) sustained; 4 shafts (P 20-23)
  • Crew: 42 (5 officers)
  • Missiles: SSM: 4 Aérospatiale mm 38 Exocet; inertial cruise; active radar homing to 42 km (23 nmi) at 0.9 Mach; warhead 165 kg.
  • Guns: 2 OTO Melara 3 inch (76 mm)/62 compact; 85 rounds/min to 16 km (8.6 nmi) anti-surface; 12 km (6.5 nmi) anti-aircraft; weight of shell 6 kg.
    4 Emerson Electric 30 mm (2 twin); multipurpose; 1,200 rounds/min combined to 6 km (3.2 nmi); weight of shell 0.35 kg.
  • Torpedoes: 2-21 in (533 mm)aft tubes. AEG SST-4; anti-surface; wire-guided; active homing to 12 km (6.5 nmi) at 35 kn; passive homing to 28 km (15 nmi) at 23 kn; warhead 250 kg.
  • Countermeasures: Decoys: Wegmann chaff launchers.

ESM: Thomson-CSF DR 2000S; intercept.

  • Weapons control: 2 CSEE Panda optical directors for 30 mm guns. Thomson-CSF Vega I or II system (P 20-P 23). NFT PFCS-2 (P 24-P 29).
  • Radars: Surface search: Thomson-CSF Triton; G-band; range 33 km (18 nmi) for 2 m2 target.

Navigation: Decca 1226C; I-band. Fire control: Thomson-CSF Castor II; I/J-band; range 31 km (17 nmi) for 2 m2 target.

  • Crew 42

Notes

  1. ↑ Conway p166
  2. ↑ "Πυραυλάκατοι (ΤΠΚ) τύπου LA COMBATTANTE III" (in Greek). Hellenic Navy. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. ↑ Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 p166

References

  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 (1995) Naval Institute Press, Annapolis ISBN 1-55750-132-7
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20060906041332/http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/facm_la_combattanteIII_en.asp
  • http://www.ellinikos-stratos.com/naytiko/combattanteIIIa.asp
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