The Vasiliades Patrol Boats
The (fictional) Vasiliades Patrol Boats, as they are known, is one another trademark of RHN together with the
Konon Class Frigates/OPVs in second half of 20th century.The designer of these vessels,Spiros Vasiliades,
had in mind a luxury yacht back in 1935 and actually built two (of which only one survives,the Mascot,
built in 1938).All Vasiliades Patrol Boats was made from nailed steel as in the original plans of 1935.
After the WW2,when the shipyard worked again,Spiros Vasiliades proposed a Patrol Boat based on this hull
in 1948 and immidiately the Hellenic Coastguard ordered 12.The last 5 of this batch was Mk1a with some
improvements,followed by the MkII in 1960 (in HCG the MkII Class entered service in 1964).The last third
batch (MkIIa,for Black Sea Navy Command and Cypriot Navy) was redesigned and had more power to gain speed.
Also 6 more MkIIb served in Aegean Sea from 1965 to 1992.
Due to very strong construction,as also the Konon Class is,several still survive in beginning of 21th century.
In their heyday were true workhorses, in service the Navy Command of Black Sea (which is the only independent
Command of RHN) and even in East Meditteranean with Cypriot Navy Command.Cypriots had 4 in two versions (2 ships
each).They were the first ships in NATO with AUVs,the Proteas I/II which was a small "submarine" with autopilot
used for detecting minefields in sea,enemy submarines etc,infiltrate through underwater defense systems (such as
antisubmarine nets) and even in antismuggling operations with the Maritime Frontier Guard of the Kingdom (AUV
Proteas MkIIc) to which 4 transferred from Navy Command in 1998.
Hellenic Coastguard used them for many years and still has one in service (the LS-627) as a training
OPV,while several converted to tourist vessels in Aegean and Ionian Sea.
Note: The gun aft in 3rd to 6th design is not Bofors 40mm,but a 30mm made by Pyrkal in late 1950's based to
Italian Origin AA guns from the 1930's.The turret had double 30/65 cal cannons with combined rate of fire
2000 rounds per minute.In late 1980's this gun withdrawn for service and replaced by the prototype of Artemis
Naval (which used the old manned turret).In 2001 the old Artemis replaced with the S-30A (same with HCG and
Cyprus Marine Police, 2 X 600 rounds per minute).
Range varied from 2050nm (MkI) to 2400nm(MkII/IIa) in 16kn to 20kn (depends on the model)
Specifications
Vasiliades MkI/MkIa (LS602 Class)
Length: 58.2m
Beam: 7.6m
Draught: 2.7m
Displacement: 470tn empty,550tn full load
Propulsion : 2 diesel engines TAG 12V352TB84,4200hp + 2 props
Speed : 22.5kn maximum,16kn economical
Range: 2050nm/16kn
Crew: 54
Armament
*1 X Bofors 40/L60 40mm
*1 X Oerlikon FFH 20mm
Vasiliades MkII (LS622 Class)
Length: 62.7m
Beam: 7.6m
Draught: 2.7m
Displacement: 530tn empty,620tn full load
Propulsion : 2 diesel engines TAG 20V672TB90,8800hp + 2 props
Speed : 27kn maximum,20kn economical
Range: 2400nm/20kn
Crew : 62
Armament
*1 X Bofors 40/L60 40mm
*1 X Oerlikon FFH 20mm
Aviation facilities: Helipad for one helicopter Zelitz ZH-200 (later ZH-240)
Vasiliades MkIIa (RHN Black Sea Command,Cyprus National Guard Navy Command)
Length: 62.7m
Beam: 7.6m
Draught: 2.7m
Displacement: 530tn empty,620tn full load
Propulsion : 2 diesel engines TAG 20V672TB91,9600hp + 2 props
Speed : 30kn sprint,20kn economical
Range: 2400nm/20kn
Crew : 62
Armament (P120,P121 * P124-P127)
*1 X Oto Breda Dardo 40mm
*1 X Pyrkal/Breda double 30/L65 30mm
*2 X Browning M2 HMG 12.7mm
*2 X 3 Mk32 TT 324mm
*1 X ASW mortar Bofors 375mm
*1 X AUV Proteus MkI/II
Armament (P122,P123 * P128-P131)
*1 X Oto Breda Dardo 40mm
*1 X Pyrkal/Breda double 30/L65 30mm
*2 X Browning M2 HMG 12.7mm
*2 X 3 Mk32 TT 324mm
*Helipad for one helicopler Zelitz ZH-240 (Cypriot vessels had one Mil Mi-2)
Vasiliades MkIIb (Aegean Sea)
Length: 62.7m
Beam: 7.6m
Draught: 2.7m
Displacement: 530tn empty,620tn full load
Propulsion : 2 diesel engines TAG 20V672TB91,9600hp + 2 props
Speed : 30kn sprint,20kn economical
Range: 2400nm/20kn
Crew : 62
*1 X Oto Breda Dardo 40mm
*1 SAM Sea Falcon [6 X OMI-31A (AIM-26 Falcon)]
*2 X Browning M2 HMG 12.7mm
*2 X 3 Mk32 TT 324mm
*1 X ASW mortar Bofors 375mm
*1 X AUV Proteus MkI/II
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