On November 2, 2010, the Hellenic Navy has commissioned the first 214 Class submarine at Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Prior to the commissioning, the Hellenic Navy has declared the acceptance of this boat together with an order for two more submarines of the 214 Class.

The new submarine named HS PAPANIKOLIS has a displacement of 1,700 t, is 65 m long and is operated by a crew of 27. It is equipped with an air-independent fuel cell propulsion system allowing a significantly longer underwater endurance. In addition to this, the submarine is characterised by considerably reduced acoustic, thermal and magnetic signatures. Thanks to these features, the submarine is extremely difficult to detect. The diving depth of this type has also been optimised.

In February 2000, the Hellenic Navy was the first foreign navy ordering a fuel cell driven submarine. The HS PAPANIKOLIS is now the eleventh submarine with fuel cell propulsion in service with the German, Hellenic, Italian, Korean and Portuguese Navies.