In the early hours of Thursday (25/4) in the Gulf of Aden, the frigate Hydra as part of the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation, providing protection to a merchant ship, fired a gun at two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in accordance with the applicable rules of engagement , one of which was shot down and the other driven away. This is her second engagement frigate “HYDRA” as part of the “SHIELDS” mission.
The timeline of the attack began to unfold before 4:00 in the morning, with the result that a short time later the “lock-down” and the demolition of the targets took place.
According to information, the air radar of the Greek frigate had detected the movement of, in total, 8 unmanned aircraft from a distance of about 8-10 nautical miles in a night with intense activity by the Houthis of Yemen.
Immediately the crew mobilized. 2 of the 8 UAV’S had the most threatening course. Then the commander of the frigate “Hydra” gives the order to shoot down the unmanned aerial threat in the Gulf of Aden using her 5 inch bow gun to protect the merchant ship. One was shot down while the 2nd changed course.
The merchant ship was handed over by the Greek frigate to the other ship of the ASPIDES operation, the Italian destroyer “Caio Duilio”, in order to continue sailing towards the strait of the Red Sea.
The Greek frigate continues its mission normally.
It is the second engagement of the “HYDRA” frigate
It is recalled that the first engagement of the Greek frigate to protect a merchant ship was on March 13, when it again fired a cannon at two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, which had then moved away.
The “HYDRA” frigate sailed from the Salamis Naval Station on February 26, after the approval of the KYSEA. On March 3, 2024, it was deployed in the Red Sea region for Operation “ASPIDES” (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES) with the aim of protecting shipping from attacks at sea or in the air by the Houthis of Yemen.
The design of the operation envisages that all the ships of the European “SHIELDS” mission move at close distances in order to support each other with their weapon systems and their electronic sensors and radars.
