Jason-class tank landing ship

The Jason-class tank landing ship (Hellenic: αρματαγωγό κλάσσης Ιάσων, literally tank-carrier of class Jason) is a class of tank landing ships (LSTs) designed and built in Greece through a cooperation of the Elefsis Shipyards with the National Technical University of Athens and the Hellenic Navy, which ordered the ships in 1986.[citation needed] Along with the Zubr-class LCAC, they are the primary amphibious warfare ships of the Hellenic Navy. The first was laid down on 18 April 1987, second in September 1987, third in May 1988, fourth in April 1989 and fifth in November 1989. Completion of all five and in particular the last three was severely delayed by the shipyard's financial problems, which was privatised in October 1997. Greece tried to start building a sixth ship in 2000 but cancelled it before construction began.[citation needed]

HS Chios
Class overview
BuildersElefsis Shipyards, Greece
Operators Hellenic Navy
Built1993–2000
In commission1994–present
Planned6
Completed5
Cancelled1
Active5 (2018)
General characteristics
TypeLanding ship tank
Displacement4,470 tons full load
Length116 m (380 ft 7 in)
Beam15.3 m (50 ft 2 in)
Draught3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 Wärtsilä Nohab 16V25 diesels; 9,200 hp(m) (6.76 MW) sustained
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range4,700 nmi (8,700 km; 5,400 mi) at 16 knots
Boats & landing
craft carried
4 x LCVP 36-F Fast Landing Crafts
Troops350
Complement120
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radars: Thomson-CSF (now Thales) TRS-3030 Triton 2D surface to air & surface to surface G-band radar
  • Fire control: Thomson-CSF Pollux TRS3220 I/J-band monopulse radar
  • Navigation: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 (I-band)
  • Thomson-CSF Vega II weapons control and tactical data system
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Mark 36 SRBOC chaff and decoy launching system
Armament
Aviation facilities1 helipad for medium sized helicopter

The ships are capable of transporting 350 infantry troops, but they can transport up to 1,200 infantry for short distances,[citation needed] and they can also carry up to 22 main battle tanks (MBTs) or a variety of other equipment such as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), howitzers, MLRS launchers, trucks, etc.[citation needed]

The Hellenic Navy used the Jason-class ships to replace older American landing ships from the Second World War era.[citation needed] The Hellenic Navy preferred to not buy new ships from other nations in order to acquire experience in the design and construction of warships entirely in Greece.[citation needed]

Although the new ships replaced Second World War-era LSTs, the Hellenic Navy did not equip the Jason-class ships with marine fighting vehicles (such as BMP-3F) and therefore Greek marines have to use tactical landing methods similar to those of the Second World War era. Although, Greece purchased 76 AAV-7A1 RAMS from EDA of USMC in 2022. Each landing ship can carry up to 15 AAV-7 and 300 Marines.[citation needed] The ships also use two types of Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVPs): the type 36 and the type 36F (with F meaning Fast).[citation needed]

Ships

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Pennant number Ship Namesake Builder Commissioned Status
L173 Chios (Hellenic: Χίος) Chios Elefsis Shipyards 1996 In service
L174 Samos (Hellenic: Σάμος) Samos 1994 In service
L175 Ikaria (Hellenic: Ικαρία) Ikaria 1999 In service
L176 Lesvos (Hellenic: Λέσβος) Lesbos 1999 In service
L177 Rodos (Hellenic: Ρόδος) Rhodes 2000 In service

Armament and sensors

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Each ship of the class is armed with one Oto Melara 76 mm/62 Mod 9 compact naval gun, two Breda 40 mm/70 guns and two smaller Rheinmetall 20 mm guns in twin mounts. A serious drawback of the ships is the lack of a modern CIWS system.

The main radar of the ships is the Thomson-CSF TRS-3030 Triton G which is a G-band, 2D Surface-to-Air & Surface-to-Surface Radar.[1][2] The ships have installed the Thomson-CSF Vega II command and control system which includes the Pollux TRS3220 fast-scanning radar as a fire control radar system.

References

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