Hellenic Navy Plays "Crucial Role" in NATO Operations

Interview with Vice Adm. George Theodoroulakis, HN, chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff.

Sea Power Editor in Chief James D. Hessman interviewed Vice Adm. George Theodoroulakis, HN, chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, during the latter's visit to the Washington, D.C., area to meet with senior U.S. Navy officials on matters of mutual interest. Following is the transcript of that interview.

Sea Power: Admiral Theodoroulakis, what do you see as the principal missions of the Hellenic Navy in the post-Cold War era?

Admiral Theodoroulakis: Actions undertaken by any country against Greece's survival and vital interests constitute a "Threat," which the Hellenic Navy has to take into account in conjunction with various risks stemming from existing instability in adjacent areas and mainly from the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and Magreb. The mission of the Hellenic Navy reflects the combined requirements of the national and NATO strategic concepts and is primarily oriented "to contribute to the defense of the Greek territory against any aggressor and to support the National and Allied interests in the context of article V and non-article V Crisis Response Operations."

In this context, the Hellenic Navy is ready and prepared to perform the following fundamental tasks in support of national and allied objectives: maintain sea control in the areas of interest; project power ashore; ensure the Sea Lines of Communications; guarantee the commitments to NATO and the Western European Union; and safeguard maritime resources and installations.

Do you anticipate greater participation by the Hellenic Navy and other services in future "out of area"--i.e. areas outside the European theater--NATO operations?

The Hellenic Navy anticipates greater participation in international peacekeeping operations, on a case-by-case basis, under the auspices of the United Nations.

This vividly demonstrates our government's decision to play a crucial role within the Alliance, since Greece is the only NATO country in the area of the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, and Middle East that is simultaneously a member of NATO, the European Union, and the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe].

The Hellenic Navy [H.N.] participates in the whole spectrum of new missions, with regional and other NATO naval forces. In this context the H.N. is ready to participate in "out of area" ops, under the aegis of the United Nations.

Furthermore, Greece is constantly trying to improve the level of her contribution to NATO, through the Defense Planning Questionnaire [DPQ] and Defense Capabilities Initiative [DCI] procedures. In addition, assets of the H.N. have been declared to NATO, through the Force Proposals/Force Goals process.

It is worth mentioning that the main units declared to NATO by the Hellenic Navy reach 60 percent of the total Hellenic fleet for guided-missile destroyers and frigates, 40 percent for submarines, and 30 percent for patrol craft with guided missiles.

Would you please describe for the readers of Sea Power the various exercises and operations in which the U.S. and Hellenic Navies operate with one another?

First, I would like to stress that from the very start of the American and Greek history, both countries believe in the same principles, share the same values, and possess the same ethical perspectives.

The bonds of friendship between our navies have a long background. The functional framework of the Hellenic Naval Academy, for example, which has operated since 1845, is based on the model of the U.S. Naval Academy.

These bonds were further tightened through the First World War, and we also fought for freedom against the Axis forces during World War II in the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean and--because we share the same values for freedom--we operated together in the Korean War.

The close cooperation of the two navies continued in the 1990s, when the H.N. participated with naval combatants and other units and infrastructure facilities in the Gulf Crisis and Gulf War. It is worth mentioning that, after the war, President George Bush visited the guided-missile frigate FFGH Lemnos--on the 17th of July 1991--and the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin Powell, visited FFGH Elli [in October 1991], two H.N. frigates that, among other assets, participated in the Gulf War.

Furthermore, Hellenic naval units were deployed in the Adriatic Sea in Operation Sharp Guard, either under national operational control or as a part of the Immediate Reaction Forces enforcing the U.N. Security Council resolutions for the embargo against the former Yugoslavia.

Greece presently maintains a peacekeeping force both in Bosnia and Kosovo. One should also mention the contribution of numerous facilities provided, such as the port of Thessaloniki, which was the key supporting site for the latest NATO ops in Kosovo.

As far as bilateral exercises are concerned, the Hellenic Navy conducts the annual amphibious exercise "Alexander the Great" in which the U.S. Navy participates with numerous units. In addition, a cross-training program of U.S. and H.N. SEALs is currently underway. Needless to say, the two navies are also working together in NATO exercises in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Finally, both navies are examining new areas for further cooperation through the U.S.-H.N. Staff Talk procedure.

Approximately how many H.N. personnel--men and women, officer and enlisted--are training and studying in the United States at any given time? At the Naval War College [NWC], for example, at the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Postgraduate School [NPS], in various enlisted MOS [military occupational specialty] schools, and in other courses of instruction? Do you expect that number to increase in the foreseeable future?

As far as the NPS is concerned, currently there are 27 officers, and seven more coming, for a total of 34. The first Greek officer graduated in 1961. We also are glad to have 11 active officers who are NWC graduates since the first graduate in 1957.

In addition to the above, we have an average of 60 persons per year training in the United States through several MOS programs. The period of this type of training varies from two to eight months, and the trainees are officers and petty officers. Among the more important schools/specializations are the explosives ordnance-disposal diver, the basic diving officer, the CIWS [close-in weapon system] Phalanx, the aviation safety officer, search and rescue planning, etc.

For the year 2001 a total of 59 persons (33 officers and 26 petty officers and civilian employees) are scheduled to be trained in the United States.

In the context of our navies' close cooperation, we hope and expect that the total number of trainees in the United States will be increased in the foreseeable future, since the quality of training provided is of very high standards and meets our requirements.

What are your most significant equipment needs at present--in terms of ships, aircraft, sensors, and various weapons and electronics/avionics systems? What platforms and equipment built by U.S. manufacturers--or in the building of which U.S. companies are major subcontractors--are you particularly interested in?

The Hellenic Navy is in the process of building the following ships: three Fast Patrol Boats type Super Vita (+2 option) with guided missiles; Exocet MM-40 missiles; four gunboats (+2 option); one oceangoing fleet oiler (+1 option); and three submarines type 214 (+1 option).

It is also in the acquisition process for four hovercrafts [LCACs] and two helicopters type S70B-6.

As far as it concerns the platforms, the H.N. is about to issue the RFP for the new corvettes. The second major project that we have to deal with is the AAW major combatant. Neither program is expected to start before 2005, and we are open to discuss them with any U.S. or non-U.S. manufacturer.

Besides ships, the Hellenic Navy is focused on an integrated C4ISR system, assisted by LINK; the midlife modernization of existing fleet units to enhance their operational capabilities; and the acquisition of more upgraded versions of existing weaponry, to increase their precision range and lethality.

Among the U.S. companies that are major contractors or subcontractors in most of the above projects are Raytheon, Sikorsky, Litton Marine, SRBOC/ALEX, Sperry, and Boeing. The H.N. also has made contact with other U.S. companies for future projects, and one of them, Gibbs and Cox, is for the corvette project.

What do you consider the greatest threats now facing NATO and other Free World nations?

Notwithstanding the positive developments in the strategic environment, and the fact that large-scale conventional aggression against NATO is highly unlikely, the possibility of such a threat emerging over the longer term exists. The wide variety of military and non-military risks that are multidirectional and often difficult to predict includes: uncertainty and instability in and around the Euro-Atlantic area; the existence of powerful nuclear forces outside the Alliance; the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons; and the global spread of technology.

The H.N. also is concerned about any armed attack not only on the territory of the Allied nations but also other risks such as acts of terrorism, sabotage, organized crime, and disruption of the flow of vital resources.