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

PGFG Laskos (P 20), commissioned 20 Apr 1977
PGFG Blessas (P 21), commissioned 7 July 1977
PGFG Mykonios (P 22), commissioned 10 Feb 1978
PGFG Troupakis (P 23), commissioned 8 Nov 1977

Specifications

(per Conway^[2])

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

↑ Conway p166
↑ 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
http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/facm_la_combattanteIII_en.asp
http://www.ellinikos-stratos.com/naytiko/combattanteIIIa.asp

Ship classes of the Hellenic Navy

Frigates	Hydra class Elli class

Gunboats	Asheville class Thetis class Osprey 55 class Osprey HSY-56A class

Submarines	Glafkos class (Neptune I) Poseidon class (Neptune II) Papanikolis class

Fast attack craft	La Combattante IIa class La Combattante III class La Combattante IIIb class Roussen class

Mine warfare ships	Hunt class mine hunters Osprey class mine hunters MSC-294 class minesweepers

Landing Vessels	Jason class LSTs Zubr class LCACs Barbe class

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