The “ROUSSEN” class Missiles, in addition to the “killer” Exocets, have the CIWS GLMS RAM anti-missile system which carries 21 guided missiles, a 76mm Super Rapido Oto Breda gun and two smaller 30mm Oto Breda guns while it can develop a speed exceeding 35 knots.
Even within October, if the work “runs” at an intensive pace, it is expected, according to information from Newpost, that the official ceremony of naming and joining the Fleet of the 7th “‘RUSSEN” class missile (Super Vita) will take place, which will take the name of the hero officer of Imia Vice-Captain Panagiotis Vlahakos. The Fast Guided Missile Patrol, as it is stated by the Navy, did not miss the opportunity to be visited by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the morning at the pier of the Skaramangas shipyards. The related images show that Pyravlakatos is in the final stage of the work, all the basic systems have been installed on the ship so that the countdown can begin – finally after the delay already exceeds two years – for its receipt by the Navy and its inclusion of the strength of the Fleet and its operational utilization.
Just as it happened with the 6th Super Vita of the Navy, the TPKB “KARATHANASIS”, so with “VLACHAKOS” the process will be exactly the same. In the coming weeks, the sea trials of all the ship’s systems begin and their scrutiny by the Navy Executives who will give the “green” light for its inclusion in the Fleet. Already on the Missile Ship “VLACHAKOS” is almost the entire planned crew who will take the ship out of the shipyard in order to carry out the planned tests. Which concern both the mechanical and electronic systems of the missile as well as its armament. The experience from “KARATHANASIS” showed that interventions and corrections will be required in order for everything to work perfectly at the end of the tests before the relevant Executives put their signatures to formally pass the ship to the Navy.
The delivery of the Missile will without a doubt be an important “breather” for the Fleet which is in great need of new modern Units in order to respond to the great challenges it has to face. Especially when it comes to a ship that will carry the most powerful surface-to-surface missile, the Exocet block 3. A missile that is the biggest nightmare of the Turkish fleet since its range exceeds 180 km and it has enormous targeting capabilities even for coastal targets.
The 8 Exocet block 3 that the “VLACHAKOS” Missile will have in its arsenal will be added to the remaining Exocet block 2 and block 3 of the six Vosper which are already operating. Converting the Force of Fast Boats into a powerful strike force since apart from the “ROUSSEN” it also has the older but highly reliable La Combattante IIIA and IIIB Missile Launchers.
The “ROUSSEN” class Missiles, in addition to the “killer” Exocets, have the CIWS GLMS RAM anti-missile system which carries 21 guided missiles, a 76mm Super Rapido Oto Breda gun and two smaller 30mm Oto Breda guns while it can develop a speed exceeding 35 knots.
