The engines produced a total of 1,750 shaft horsepower (1,300 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).

Hebe carried a maximum of 252 long tons (256 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

She participated in Operation Harpoon (where she was hit and extensively damaged by a very long range 152 mm shell shot fired by the Italian cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli [7]) According to post-battle reports from both sides, Raimondo Montecuccoli scored a hit on Hebe at "approx.

Fires erupted aboard Hebe, which received extensive splinter damage.

[8][9] Electrical cables to sweep magnetic and acoustic mines, low power wires, steering gear, echo sounding gear and voice pipes were broken, the Kelvin sounding machine and the Commanding Officer's Cabin damaged, while a whaler was left unseaworthy.