Greece deploys Psara frigate to Cyprus to counter Iranian drones with electronic warfare instead of missiles.

Greece has deployed the frigate Psara (F-454) to Cyprus, a vessel capable of using the Centauros electronic warfare system to counter Iranian drones instead of missile interceptors.

The Greek Navy deployed the Psara frigate to Cyprus in March 2026 following a drone attack near RAF Akrotiri. The vessel is equipped with the Centauros electronic warfare system to counter low-altitude Iranian UAVs. The mission focuses on defensive operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and on reducing reliance on high-cost missile interceptors.

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This expertise was developed during the frigate’s 2024 deployment in the Red Sea under EU Operation Aspides, where the Psara protected shipping lanes against Iranian-made drones by using its Centauros system. (Picture source: Greek Navy)

As reported by Greek Reporter on March 14, 2026, Greece deployed the frigate Psara to Cyprus, a warship capable of neutralizing low-cost Iranian drones without relying on missile interceptors through its Centauros electronic warfare system. The frigate was dispatched in early March 2026 following a drone attack targeting RAF Akrotiri, with arrival in Limassol occurring shortly after departure from Salamis Naval Base on March 2. The mission forms part of a broader Greek reinforcement package that includes four F-16 Viper jets deployed to Paphos and the transfer of a Patriot air defense battery to Karpathos to protect Bulgaria's airspace.

The deployment remains limited to Cypriot territorial waters, with Greek authorities confirming no operational coordination with Israeli forces and emphasizing a strictly defensive mandate. Parallel security measures following the start of the war between Iran, Israel, and the United States included the authorized departure of non-essential U.S personnel from Cyprus and several regional locations due to elevated threat levels. Within this new defensive framework, the Psara is assigned a specific role focused on countering low-altitude drone threats in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Psara (F-454) is the third unit of the Hydra-class frigates, constructed at Hellenic Shipyards and commissioned in 1998 after launch on December 20, 1994.

The vessel displaces 3,350 tons, measures 117 meters in length with a beam of 14.8 meters and a draft of 6 meters, and is powered by a CODOG propulsion system combining two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines generating 60,656 hp and two MTU diesel engines producing 10,040 hp. Maximum speed reaches 31 knots, with an operational range of 4,100 nautical miles at 16 knots. The crew consists of 173 personnel. The sensor suite includes MW08 and DA08 radar systems, STIR fire control radars, and SQS-56 sonar, supported by electronic warfare systems such as AR 700 and APECS II. Armament includes one 127 mm Mk 45 Mod 2A gun, two Phalanx CIWS, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, a vertical launch system for 16 ESSM missiles, and torpedo tubes, with aviation facilities for one S-70B helicopter. 

The operational relevance of the frigate in the 2026 Iran conflict is tied to a cost imbalance observed in current naval engagements, where interceptor missiles priced above $2 million are used against Iranian drones with production costs close to $20,000 or $30,000, depending on configuration. This ratio creates a rapid depletion of high-value munitions when facing saturation attacks involving multiple unmanned systems. Iranian-made drones, including loitering munitions such as the Shahed series, are designed to exploit this imbalance through mass deployment at low altitude and reduced radar signature. In such scenarios, even successful interception results in unfavorable economic exchange ratios and sustained pressure on limited missile inventories.

Western naval forces operating in the Eastern Mediterranean are therefore required to adapt engagement doctrines to reduce reliance on high-cost interceptors. The Psara is positioned as a unit capable of applying alternative engagement methods to address this constraint. The crew’s operational methodology was developed during the Psara deployment in the Red Sea in 2024 under EU Operation Aspides, where the frigate conducted escort missions against Houthi attacks using Iranian-supplied drones. Engagements during this period required continuous defense of merchant vessels under threat from multiple UAV approaches. On July 7, 2024, while operating in the Gulf of Aden, the ship detected four incoming drones and initiated a combined response.

Electronic interference disrupted the control links of the UAVs, after which the 127 mm gun was employed to engage targets at short range. Two drones were destroyed while the remaining units altered trajectory, reducing the immediate threat to the escorted vessel. This engagement demonstrated the combined effectiveness of the ship's electronic warfare strategy and conventional gunnery under real conditions. The Centauros counter-drone system, developed by the Hellenic Aerospace Industry, constitutes the key component used by the Psara to address low-altitude aerial threats. The electronic warfare system employs passive detection methods to identify drones at distances up to 150 kilometers without emitting radar signals, reducing exposure to anti-radiation weapons.

It then applies targeted radio-frequency jamming to disrupt command links, navigation systems, and GPS signals of specific drones rather than broad-spectrum interference. Effective disruption is achieved within a range of up to 25 kilometers, allowing multiple targets to be engaged simultaneously. This enables continuous operation as long as electrical power is available, removing dependence on finite missile stocks. The system has been deployed both on naval vessels and in ground-based versions, allowing it to operate either at sea or as part of fixed and mobile land air defense networks. When electronic disruption does not fully neutralize incoming threats, as seen in the Red Sea, the Psara employs a secondary engagement method using its 127 mm Mk 45 gun with proximity-fused ammunition.

Each engagement using such rounds costs between $2,000 and $5,000, significantly reducing reliance on the ship’s missile inventory, where each ESSM interceptor costs around $1–1.8 million and longer-range systems such as Aster 30 can reach $2–3 million per shot. This method is effective against drones operating at low altitude and within visual or radar engagement range, as the combination of electronic interference followed by kinetic engagement forms a two-layer response designed to degrade and then eliminate targets. In saturation scenarios, this strategy reduces the expenditure rate of high-cost munitions while maintaining defensive coverage. Furthermore, the ability to engage multiple drones sequentially using gunfire provides sustained defensive capacity during prolonged attacks. 

In its current deployment, the Psara operates in coordination with the Belharra-class frigate Kimon, forming a layered defense structure around Cyprus. The Kimon is tasked with intercepting high-altitude threats using Sea Fire radar and Aster 30 missiles, while the Psara addresses low-altitude drones operating beneath that coverage. This division of roles allows optimized allocation of resources, with high-cost interceptors reserved for ballistic or high-speed targets and lower-cost methods applied to drone swarms. A multinational naval presence composed of European warships is now deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean following drone strikes against Cyprus, creating overlapping layers of maritime and air defense.

France has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group centered on the Charles de Gaulle, along with eight frigates and two amphibious helicopter carriers, while also positioning additional frigates such as the Languedoc in the area. Italy has committed frigates, including the Federico Martinengo, and Spain has deployed the Cristóbal Colón, both contributing air defense and escort capabilities. The Netherlands has deployed the air defense frigate HNLMS Evertsen, while Germany and the UK also moved naval units into the region. The United Kingdom has reinforced the area with the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, equipped with Sea Viper missiles for wide-area air defense. In total, more than fifteen European warships have been concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean, forming a layered defensive posture against aerial threats and contributing to sustained maritime security operations around Cyprus.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.