Chief General Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis PN was particularly informative during the ceremony of naming and joining the PN of TPC LIEUT ADMIRAL VLACHAKOS. The A/GEN in his speech gave the central directions and planning of the PN with some key words as we will see below. It is worth reading carefully.
The inclusion of each new unit in the potential of the Fleet constitutes the fulfillment of a special expectation for us, raising morale, but also creating expectations, since it signals the promotion of the capabilities and combat capability of our Navy.
With the inclusion of TPC VLACHAKOS in the fleet, a program is completed, which had serious delays and required high-risk initiatives from the state and the PN for its completion. The contribution of the workers of the Elefsina Shipyards was certainly decisive in the whole effort.
Mr. Prime Minister, As today’s challenges escalate more than ever, the day-to-day operational demands have increased dramatically compared to the past. The Force Structure approved by the KYSEA timely captured this new reality and is the compass for the Navy of the next 15 years. A Navy stronger and certainly more capable than the current one.
The implementation of a Force Structure requires extremely careful planning by the PN, commitment, consistency and absolute rationality and prioritization of the resources that are limited in any case in the coming years. Despite the difficulties bequeathed to us by the economic crisis, the Navy is on a daily basis in the seas, displaying our Flag.
This event is the product of a titanic effort that includes meticulous staff planning by the GEN but also an excellent primary project shouldered primarily by the Fleet Commander and the Commander of Naval Operations with their staffs.
Ultimately, however, the burden falls on the people, and our people with their culture, patriotism, self-sacrifice and patriotism are the ones who make the difference. Women and men of the Fleet, Country and duty demand that you and your ships be in the front lines, vanguards and standard bearers. This is what you have always done and this is what we require you to continue to do. Travel, risk and defend the homeland in the seas, the way you know better than anyone. But I assure you that your efforts do not go unnoticed.
The state recognizes your efforts, and emphatic confirmation of this is the recent announcement by Mr. Prime Minister for the establishment of additional pay for the crews of warships on duty. As Chief of the Naval General Staff I feel the need to thank the Prime Minister for his decision.
Today brings to mind again the heroes of Imia. The name of the then Lieutenant Commander Panagiotis Vlahakos, together with those of Lieutenant Commander Christodoulos Karathanasis, my dear and unforgettable classmate, and Lieutenant Commander Hector Gialopsos, has already gone down in history and adorns the pantheon of the country’s heroes. And it is a great honor for us today that the brother of the hero, Mr. Nikolaos Vlahakos, will be the sponsor of the ship that will bear the name Lieutenant Vlahakos.
At the Navy we look to the future with optimism. We respond to challenges with calmness and determination, and I assure you that in any case our ships and their worthy crews, true to the values and traditions of the Navy, are always ready to fully fulfill their mission.
I urge the Governor and the crew of TPC VLACHAKOS to work tirelessly, so that very soon the Fleet can fully utilize the operational capabilities of our new ship. BZ for the effort so far. I wish you good travels and may Agios Nikolaos always be on your bow. Thank you.
The speech of the A/GEN is literally clear and precise as to the aims of the PN. The two key phrases from the A/G’s speech are the Force Structure and the prioritization of limited resources.
It is clear that the PN has designed the Force Structure based on the operational task it is called to carry out both in the Aegean but mainly in the Eastern Mediterranean. This implies that the PN needs both quality and quantity of strike units. In this direction, the PN has designed a force structure with the four modernized MEKO 200 HN frigates, the four FDIs with enhanced area air defense capabilities precisely for the ship battle groups to operate in the Eastern Mediterranean and finally the corvettes.
In practice, the goal is a ceiling of the order of 14 main units with an ideal number of 16.
At the same time, the General Secretary, speaking very specifically and specifically, spoke about the so-called prioritization. Prioritization is unfortunately rare in the Greek reality, while lately we have been witnessing new armament discussions and, by extension, programs that are not consistent with the absolute priorities of the Armed Forces.
Practically, the prioritization aims to realistically cover the primary needs of the Fleet Headquarters for modern frigates, corvettes, submarines and TPCs. Anything that deviates from these is outside the real needs of the PN. That is why the A/GEN spoke about strict and extremely careful planning, noting with emphasis that a rational action plan is required at the equipment level.
