수상전투함 그리스, 하이드라급 ( MEKO 200 HN ) 업그레이드 사업 규모 축소의 가능성

[위종민]

그리스가 92~98년 4척을 인수한 하이드라급 호위함은 2000년대 말 MLU 예정이었지만 그리스 경제위기로 사업이 칼질돼 STIR 사격통제시스템 업그레이드(ESSM 사격통제 기능 포함), Mk.48 VLS 재통합, 항법레이더 및 전자광학센서 교체 등 소소한 개량만 받은 상태인데 2023년 4월 TKMS와 탈레스 컨소시엄을 주계약자로 6억 유로 규모의 (MLU가 아닌) 기능 업그레이드 사업을 진행하기로 결정됐지만 아직까지 진전이 없다고 합니다. 가격 상승으로 총규모가 8~9억 유로 이상이 들 것으로 보여 1번함인 하이드라는 업그레이드에서 제외될 가능성도 있다고 하네요. 

주요 개량사항은 ESSM 블록2 통합, 엔진의 업그레이드, 점검 및 교체, 신형 다기능 레이더 등 미션/플랫폼 시스템의 업그레이드나 오버홀, 팰렁스 CIWS의 블록1B 베이스라인2 교체, Mk.45 주포 업그레이드 등이라고 합니다. 신형 VDS나 ECM/ESM 장비, UAV 운용 능력 등은 포함되지 않았다고 합니다. 

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/01/hydra-class-upgrade-program-a-never-ending-story/

Hydra-class Upgrade Program: A Never-Ending Story - Naval News

Hydra (F452), the lead ship in the MEKO 200HN frigate class of the Hellenic Navy. Photo by Nick Thodos.

Hydra-Class Upgrade Program: A Never-Ending Story

A total of 25 MEKO 200 frigates were built of six different configurations for five different countries, by the time construction ended in July 2006. The majority of these frigates have already been upgraded or are undergoing Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) programs. This aims to prolong their operational life until the late 2030s, ensuring they remain as the backbone of their respective fleets. However, this is not the situation for the Greek ships.

Dimitris Mitsopoulos  26 Jan 2024

Greece received four frigates of the type (MEKO 200HN) between 1992 and 1998. The first ship of the Hydra-class was built in Germany, while the rest of the ships were built locally at the Hellenic Shipyards S.A. (HSY) in Skaramangas. The four vessels, when built, were the most heavily armed and well-equipped frigates of the type.

Today, after 26-32 years of use, an MLU program is long overdue while only specific upgrades were carried out such as:

• upgrade of the STIR fire control systems to allow the firing of the RIM-162 ESSM surface-to-air missile
• re-integration of the modified Mk48 VLS
• communications improvements
• installation of a new navigation radar (TRANSAS) and an electro-optical sensor (Miltech TDR-10A).

Spetsai, a Greek Hydra-class frigate. Photo by the Hellenic Navy.

The Hellenic Navy planned to implement an extensive MLU in the late 2000s but it was postponed multiple times as a consequence of the sovereign debt crisis, in which, Greece was most acutely affected. Over the years, Greek officials have repeatedly announced the MLU of the ships, only to face consistent delays. During this period, the budget designated for the upgrade has experienced a steady escalation, surging from €150 million to over €600 million in recent years. This increase can be attributed to shifts in leadership plans, as various administrations proposed either a limited upgrade or an extensive overhaul for only a specific number of vessels.

Finally, in April 2023, the Armaments Committee of the Greek Parliament has approved the implementation of a €600 million modernization program (platform and mission systems) for the four ships in order to extend their life by another 15-20 years. The program will be carried out by TKMS and Thales (Thales Nederland) which were selected as the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), at a Greek shipyard which the consortium will select. The upgrade program which is referred as “Capability Upgrade” and not MLU indicating a less extensive work, was expected to begin in 2024 and to last 7 years.

Visualization of a Hydra-class frigate after an extensive upgrade by TKMS & Thales NL. Graph by Aylont1 for Naval News. Note the NS110 radar isntalled on the rear mast together with L-ESM system, while the forward one accomodates a moder surveillance radar. However, it is more likely that the new radar will be fittied on the firward mast, similarly to NZ ANZAC program. RWS are fitted near the bridge,new mast with C-ESM./COMINT antennas, Phalanx CIWS are upgraded, new STIR FCR are fitted on board and decoy launchers with CANTO ammunition atop hangar.

However, up to this day, there has been no progress in the program, apart from the recent announcement by TKMS and Thales that they proposed a consortium, a prerequisite term in the legal framework of the program. This compliance and official announcement on the part of TKMS perhaps indicate a justified fear of losing the program, especially after the recent statements by the Minister of Defense Nikolaos Dendias regarding the reduction of frigates slated for upgrade and the overall stagnation in initiating the process.

Note that the overall Hydra upgrade program consists of a number of separate sub-programs such as:

• the acquisition and integration of ESSM Block 2 SAM,
• the upgrade, overhaul and/or replacement of the engines (part of it has been already executed),
• the upgrade or overhaul of the mission and platform systems (the program that will be executed by TKMS and Thales),
• the upgrade of Phalanx CIWS to the latest configuration Block 1B Baseline 2
• the upgrade of the Mk45 main gun system.

Note that it is highly unlikely that all these sub-programs will be executed. The overall cost is anticipated to surpass €800-900 million, primarily attributed to the rise in raw material prices. As a consequence, the “capability upgrade” program may be limited to just three vessels. It is likely that the first ship-in-class, Hydra, which has reached 32 years of active service, will not benefit from the upgrade program. In such a scenario, the equipment extracted from the modernized ships will be repurposed to maintain those that will not undergo the upgrade.

Visualization of a Hydra-class frigate after an extensive upgrade by TKMS & Thales NL. Graph by Aylont1 for Naval News.

In any case, whether to reduce the scope of the program or decrease the number of ships for upgrade, new legislative regulation would be required, which would need to pass through the Hellenic Parliament. This entails a delay of at least 1-2 years for the signing and initiation of the program.

The mission systems include a reduced amount of systems in comparison with the initial plan for an extended MLU which was eval‎uated only for the procurement of the equipment around €1 billion which would have reached eventually €1.5-1.8 billion including the labor cost, additional systems etc. Therefore, the new program that deals specifically with the mission and platform systems is estimated to cost a bit more than €600 million (about 1/3 of the total requirements) and will be under the responsibility of TKMS and Thales.

Visualization of a Hydra-class frigate after an extensive upgrade by TKMS & Thales NL. Graph by Aylont1 for Naval News.

The mission systems equipment include the installation of a new multi-function radar (NS110) that will replace both DA08 and MW08 radars, a new R-ESM system (VIGILE Mk2) which will replace the AR-700, one or two new navigation radars per ship (TRANSAS radar perhaps will remain), the overhaul and modernization of the HMS/VDS sonar suite, the upgrade of the Mk45 gun and Phalanx which were mentioned earlier, new FCR (two STIR 1.2 per ship ), solid state CWI transmitters, a new CMS (TACTICOS Block II), new communications and data links equipment, new RHIB, and possible installation of a L-ESM system (more likely from Saab). No other improvements, requirements or systems are included in the program such as IRST, R-ECM (that will replace APECS II), C-ESM/COMINT (that will replace Telegon 10) or RWS (might be in another separate program in the future), VDS (such as CAPTAS-2), upgrade of torpedo tubes, new DLS with torpedo countermeasures (CANTO), helicopter traversing system, integrated UAV, etc.

[백선호]

MEKO 200 중에서 가장 많이 뜯어 고친 ANZAC만큼은 아니네요.

https://cafe.daum.net/NTDS/5q1/705

[위종민]

비슷한 시기에 취역한 KDX-1하고 개량 정도가 비슷한 것 같습니다. 우리는 전투체계 개량도 하고 견인소나도 달았지만 대신 ESSM 쓸 생각이 없고, 저긴 ESSM 쓸 생각은 있는데 돈이 없어서 미뤄졌고..