Greek and U.S. Naval Forces conduct passing exercise in Persian Gulf.

According to a press release published by Department of Defence on February 26, 2021,the U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats USCGC Adak (WPB 1333) and USCGC Maui (WPB 1304) participated in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the Greek guided-missile frigate HS Hydra (F452) in the Persian Gulf.
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Hydra F-452 Hydra-class frigate at Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi (Picture source: Defence Redefined)

The exercise included advanced maneuvers and communication drills flexing the crews’ abilities to operate together in a dynamic environment, and test and refine combined command and control processes.

Greece is a vital NATO ally, showing a commitment to regional peace and stability. Greece, the host of U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, is an enabler for U.S., Allied, and partner nation forces to operate and transit in and across critical sea lanes.

Exercises like this serve as a demonstration of the U.S. Navy’s continued commitment to strengthening coalition partnerships in the region.

Adak and Maui are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

The HS Hydra recently represented Greece at NAVEX 21 held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The U.S. 5th Fleet AOO encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

The Greek Frigate Hydra (F-450) is the lead ship of the Greek Hydra frigate class and the flagship of the Hellenic Navy. The ship was built in the same shipyard as the Blohm + Voss MEKO 200 frigate class, on which its design was based. The ship was delivered to the Hellenic Navy on 15 October 1992 and first sailed in Greek waters on 28 January 1993.

The HS Hydra has a crew of 173 people including 22 officers and 151 sailors. It can sail at a maximum speed of 31 knots (57 km/h) with a maximum range of 4,100 nmi. (7,600 km). Main armament includes one naval artillery gun Mk 45 Mod 2A, two Mk15 Phalanx 20 mm cannon CIWS (Close-In Weapon System), 4×8 Mk141 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, Mk 48 Mod 2 vertical launcher for 16 × RIM-162 ESSM to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and 2 Mk32 Mod 5 2 × 324 mm (13 in) torpedo tubes for Mk46 torpedoes.