Hellenic Navy frigate HS Hydra to participate Operation Irini

Hellenic Navy’s MEKO-200 HN class Frigate “HYDRA” set sail from Salamis Naval Base On 12th May in order to participate in Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, Ministry of Defence of Greece announced.

1 organic S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk helicopter is deployed and a boarding team onboard of Hydra to conduct Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO).

Frigate “HYDRA” will remain for a short time at Souda Naval Base (Crete island) to conduct training in the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) and then will be deployed in late May.

EUNAVFOR MED IRINI which replaced Operation Sophia at the beginning of April, started to show presence at sea with the French frigate Jean Bart and a maritime patrol aircraft sent by Luxembourg on May 4, 2020. Germany recently announced its intention to participate with a P3C-Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

Currently, 7 countries are actively participating in the operation: Italy, Greece, France, Germany, Poland, Malta and Luxembourg.