HNLMS Bloys van Treslong

HNLMS Bloys van Treslong (F824) (Dutch: Hr.Ms. Bloys van Treslong) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1982-2003. She was named after Dutch naval hero Willem Bloys van Treslong, and the ship's radio call sign was "PADG".^[1]

HNLMS Bloys van Treslong
History
Netherlands
Name	Bloys van Treslong
Namesake	Willem Bloys van Treslong
Builder	Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam
Laid down	5 May 1978
Launched	15 November 1980
Commissioned	25 November 1982
Decommissioned	2003
Fate	Sold to the Hellenic Navy, 2003
Greece
Name	Nikiforos Fokas
Acquired	2003
Identification	F466
Status	active service
General characteristics
Class & type	Kortenaer-class frigate
Displacement	3,500 long tons (3,600 t) standard 3,800 long tons (3,900 t) full load
Length	130 m (426 ft 6 in)
Beam	14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft	4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion	Combined gas or gas (COGOG) system: 2 × Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1C gas turbines, 4,900 shp (3,700 kW) each 2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 25,700 shp (19,200 kW) each (boost) 2 shafts
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) cruise 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) maximum
Endurance	4,700 nautical miles at 16 knots (8,700 km at 30 km/h)
Complement	176–196
Armament	2 × OTO-Melara Compatto 76 mm/62 cal. gun 2 × twin Mk46 torpedo tubes 2 × quad RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers 1 × 8-cell Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile launchers 1 × Goalkeeper in Dutch service 1 × Phalanx in Greek service
Aircraft carried	2 × Sea Lynx helicopters (1 in peacetime)

Dutch service history

Bloys van Treslong off Gibraltar

HNLMS Bloys van Treslong was built at Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam. The keel laying took place on 5 May 1978, and she was launched on 15 November 1980. The ship was put into service on 25 November 1982.^[1]

In 1993, the ship served as station ship in the West Indies. During this period, she was sent to Haiti in support of the United Nations peace mission Support Democracy.^[2]

In 1996, she made a trip to Norway with the frigates Jacob van Heemskerck, Willem van der Zaan, Tromp, and the replenishment ship Amsterdam.^[2]

In 2003, the vessel was decommissioned and sold to the Hellenic Navy.^[1]

Greek service history

The ship was transferred in 2003 to the Hellenic Navy where she was renamed Nikiforos Fokas using the radio call sign "SZCH".^[3]