HS RITSOS is the fifth ROUSSEN class ship in a row, built at the Elefsina shipyards designed by the British Company ‘VOSPER THORNYCROFT Ltd’. The ship launched on 09 October 2006, raised the flag on 30 January 2015 and joined Fleet Headquarters on 19 October 2015.

She is the first ship of the fleet to bear this name, which she received in honour of Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikolaos Ritsos HN of Antonios, who was born in Monemvasia, prefecture of Laconia in 1887.

On September 10, 1900, he enlisted in the School of Naval Cadets  as a Naval Cadet, from which he graduated on July 10, 1904, as Ensign. On March 29, 1910, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. On November 16, 1912, participating as commander of a company of marine corps of a landing regiment (by Lieut. I Demestihas)  for the liberation of Chios, he was killed in action during the  attack to seize  mountain Aipos, with the Cadet 4th class I. Pastrikakis. By royal decree of November 29 , 1945 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.