HS HYDRA is the first German MEKO 200 type Frigate that the Hellenic Navy received. She was launched in Hamburg in June of 1991 and was delivered in October of 1992.

The ship was named after HYDRA island. Hydra’s worthy fleet, consisting of light sailing ships, under the command of charismatic Hydrian Captains, such as Andreas Miaoulis, played a significant role at the Greek War of Independence of 1821 against the Ottoman Empire.

HS Hydra is the fifth ship with this name in the history of HN. The first ship was a corvette with 26 guns that joined the fleet in 1830. The second ship was a steam-powered gunship of 433 dwt constructed in Blackwall, England in 1881. Her equipment consisted of a KRUPP 270mm/30 gun and a rapid firing gun. The ship remained on service under that name until 1889. The third ship in a row was the armored ship Hydra with a displacement of 4808 dwt, constructed in St. Naraire, France between 1887-1889. At 1897 she took part in the operations for protecting the Christian population of Crete from the Ottomans and after that she supported the infantry that landed at Selenon gulf. She also took part at the nautical operations of 1897 and at the wars of 1912-1913. She was disarmed at 1918. From 1922 to 1929 she was used as Artillery School. The fourth ship with that name, was the Destroyer Hydra with a displacement of 1936 dwt and 41.5 maximum speed. She was constructed in Italy and joined the HN in 1932. She took part at the nautical operations of the war in 1940-1941 and at the first attack at OTRADO Straits. The ship sunk at 22 April 1941 while fighting against an air force attack at the area of Lagousa Island, Saronic Gulf, leading the Captain of the Ship Captain T. PEZOPOULOS and 41 members of the crew to their wet grave.