Escort ship Anti Submarine Corvette

THE THETIS CLASS
Originally, these small ships were to have been used to recover practice torpedoes fired during training and on exercise, but it soon became clear that they could not actually fulfil that role, and they were employed as general-purpose service craft instead, particularly in the weapons school's training units. Thetis (P 6114, but also A 1433 and P 6055) was the fourth unit, constructed (like all the rest) by Rolandwerft at Bremen. Laid down in 1960, she was launched on 5 August 1961 and entered service on 10 November 1962. She was decommissioned in September 1992 and sold to Greece, where she became the Elevtheria (P 64) from 30 April 1993.

RE-EQUIPPED FOR A NEW ROLE
During the 1970s, the five ships were taken in hand for modification to the role of coastal submarine hunters, fitted with ELAC 1 BV sonar and a four-tube launcher for Bofors 375mm(l Ain) anti-submarine rockets on the foredeck. They retained their twin 40mm Bofors AA guns aft, but their twin torpedo tubes were exchanged for four capable of deploying wire-guided missiles. They lost their now-redundant crane and associated torpedo recovery gear. On transfer to Greece they were re-equipped with tubes to launch lightweight 12.75in (324mm) torpedoes.

TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Anti-submarine corvette
Machinery: 2-shaft diesels delivering 6000bhp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 69.8m (229ft); beam, 8.2m (27ft) Displacement: 599t standard; 732t deep load
Draught: 4.2m (13.91t) deep load
Complement: 68
Speed: 24 knots (44.5km/h)

THE ARMAMENT OF 1970s CORVETTES
Triton (Germany) Two 40mm AA guns
One four-tube 375mm AS rocket launcher Four 533mm (21 in) TT
Sleipner (Norway) One 3in (76mm) DP gun One 40mm AA gun
One Terne III six-tube AS rocket launcher
Six 324mm (12.75in) TT
Umberto Grosso (Italy) Two 76mm (3in) DP guns One Menon AS mortar Six 12.75 (324mm) TT
Range at 15 knots = 2750 miles 5100km