Greece has designated the frigate (and helicopter) for EUNavfor

(B2) Greece will send to Somalia a frigate - the Nikiforos Foras - and its helicopter as well as five officers. This was decided by the Greek National Council for Defense and Security yesterday. It is normally this boat that will serve as the command boat of the European force, led by the Greek Antonios Papaioannou.

This ship received by the Greek Navy in November 2004 was previously known in the Dutch Navy as Willem Bloys Van Treslong, of the Kortenaer class, launched in 1980. The Greek Navy indeed signed a contract with the Netherlands to benefit from some Dutch ships. More than a dozen frigates have thus passed from the blue-white-red flag to the blue flag with a white cross.

It is a frigate designed for general combat action - surface, underwater, air -. It is normally equipped with a CIWS (Phalanx Close-In Weapon System) anti-missile system. With 6.300 tons, she can normally reach a speed of 20 knots (23 miles / h). It can receive two type helicopters "Sea Lynx" (one, in times of peace).

(NGV)