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Papanikolis debut at Salamina naval station

(ANA-MPA) -- The wait for its arrival lasted more than four years, while it became a "target" long before its first submersion. The waiting is now over, as the 214-type "Papanikolis" (S120) class submarine, the new acquisition of the Hellenic Navy, arrived four months ago at the Salamina Naval Station near Piraeus.

Another three submarines under the names "Pipinos", "Matrozos" and "Katsonis" will be delivered by next year.

The new Papanikolis-class submarine was built by German's HDW and was commissioned for active duty in the Hellenic Navy during a ceremony held in Kiel, Germany on Oct. 27, 2010.

The "Papanikolis" (S120) is the third submarine in the history of the modern Greek navy named after a legendary WWII submarine. Being the first submarine of its kind that was designed worldwide, it was scheduled to be the first to be delivered in 2005, instead it became part of the Greek naval force with a delay of four-and-a-half years due to high-profile technical problems that were subsequently resolved.

Three submarines of this type already serve in the navy of Korea and one in Portugal, while six have been ordered by the Turkish navy.