Roussen Class FACM
Encyclopedia
The Roussen class is a 7-strong class of British-designed Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
for the Hellenic Navy
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
. The class is named after its lead ship, which in turn is named after Lt Nikolaos Roussen
Nikolaos Roussen
Nikolaos Roussen was a Greek naval officer who distinguished himself during World War II. He served in the two most successful Greek submarines of the war as executive officer and captain. He died during the suppression of the Navy mutiny in April 1944....
, a World War II submarines officer who was killed in the suppression of the Navy mutiny
Military history of Greece during World War II
Greece entered World War II on 28 October 1940, when the Italian army invaded from Albania, beginning the Greco-Italian War. The Greek army was able to stop the invasion and even push back the Italians into Albania, thereby winning one of the first victories for the Allies...
in April 1944.
History
The modernization program of the Hellenic Navy in the late '90s included the construction of three modern missile boats and was signed on January, 2000. The construction took place at the Elefsis ShipyardsElefsis Shipyards
Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships...
, while Vosper Thornycroft (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) provide the necessary 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 2013.
Design
The plans of the Roussen Class missile boats are based on smaller Vita class boats serving in the navies of QatarQatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, as well as similar size vessels built for Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
and other countries.
The hull is made of steel and the superstructure is made of aluminum, while the company Vosper Thornycroft (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) provides the electricity transmission system, the management board, electrical equipment and systems countermeasures.
Weapons and electronics
The main armament of the ships are eight Exocet MM40 Block II/IIIExocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
s with a range of 180 km. They are complemented by an Otobreda 76 mm
Otobreda 76 mm
The Otobreda 76 mm gun is a naval artillery piece built by the Italian defence conglomerate Otobreda. It is based on the Oto Melara 76mm/L62 Allargato, which was bigger and heavier...
naval gun in the bow and two smaller 30mm cannons as secondary weapons. located on the ships' superstructure. The vessel's primary anti-air and anti-missile weapon is the RIM-116 RAM
RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the American, German, South Korean, Greek, Turkish, Saudi and Egyptian navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense weapon against anti-ship cruise missiles...
missile system which comprises an onboard Mk-49 launcher with 21 missiles, as well as the DR300 and AR900 electronic support measures systems and the SRBOC decoy launcher.
The sensor suite responsible for the timely identification and homing of surface and air targets includes the MW08
MW08
Thales Naval Nederland MW08 is a G-band 3D target indication radar, part of the 3D multibeam 'SMART' family which includes E/F band SMART-S/SMART-S Mk2 and D band SMART-L.MW08 transmits six 2 by 12 degree stacked beams up to 70 degrees for height finding and is capable of fully...
3D G-band surveillance radar, the Mirador electro-optical target tracker and the Scout MkII low probability of intercept radar which is being controlled by the TACTICOS combat management system.
Ships
| Ship | Namesake | Builder | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P67 Roussen Ρουσσέν | Lt Nikolaos Roussen Nikolaos Roussen Nikolaos Roussen was a Greek naval officer who distinguished himself during World War II. He served in the two most successful Greek submarines of the war as executive officer and captain. He died during the suppression of the Navy mutiny in April 1944.... |
Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships... |
November 12, 2002 | In Service 2008 |
| P68 Daniolos Δανίολος | Lt Antonios Daniolos | Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships... |
July 8, 2003 | In Service 2008 |
| P69 Krystallides Κρυσταλλίδης | Lt Vyron Krystallides | Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships... |
April 5, 2004 | In Service 2008 |
| P70 Grigoropoulos Γρηγορόπουλος | Lt Nikolaos Grigoropoulos | Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships... |
December 20, 2005 | Delivered October 2010 |
| P71 Ritsos Ρίτσος | Lt Ritsos | Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards Elefsis Shipyards is a Greek shipbuilding company, also involved in other industrial constructions. Originally founded in 1962, it has constructed many types of ships, including the largest bulk carriers built in Greece as well as military ships... |
October 9, 2006 | In Service 2010 |
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