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fighting ships of the world

ITALIAN NAVY (ITALY)

ESCORTS

ARTIGLIERE frigates (1994 - 1996)

Aviere 2000

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
Artigliere (ex-حطين [Hittin]) F582   CNR, Muggiano 31.3.1982 27.7.1983 29.10.1994 stricken 12.2013
Aviere (ex-ذي قار [Thi Qar]) F583   CNR, Muggiano 3.9.1982 19.12.1984 4.1.1995 stricken 7.2018
Bersagliere (ex-اليرموك [Al Yarmouk]) F584   CNR, Riva Trigoso 12.3.1984 20.6.1985 28.11.1995 stricken 4.2018
Granatiere (ex-القادسية [Al Qadissiya]) F585   CNR, Muggiano 15.4.1983 31.3.1984 20.3.1996 stricken 9.2015

 

Displacement standard, t

2213

Displacement full, t

2525

Length, m

106.0 pp 113.2 oa

Breadth, m

12.0

Draught, m

3.84

No of shafts

2

Machinery

CODOG: 2 General Electric-Fiat LM-2500 gas turbines / 2 GMT B230-20M diesels

Power, h. p.

50000 / 10000

Max speed, kts

35

Fuel, t

diesel / gas turbine oil

Endurance, nm(kts) 5300(16)

Armament

8 x 1 Teseo Mk 2 SSM (8 Otomat Mk 2), 1 x 8 Albatros SAM (8 Aspide), 1 x 1 - 127/54 OTO-Melara, 2 x 2 - 40/70 Breda-Bofors Compact Twin 40, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 1 helicopter (AB-212)

Electronic equipment

SPS-774, SPQ-712, SPN-703, 2x SPG-70, 2x SPG-74 radars, SLQ-747 ECM suite, 2x SCLAR decoy RL, SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy, Mini-SADOC (IPN-10) CCS

Complement

185

   

Project history: Four Lupo class ships were ordered for Iraq in February 1981, delivery was held up by the Iran-Iraq War, then by lack of cash, and then by the embargo on Iraq due to the invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent conflict.  In January 1992 the Italian Council of Ministers decided to buy them for the Italian Navy, but the navy protested that they would not fit its requirements, and the sale was held up until July 1993 (by which time refit work had already begun). At that time it was hoped that their appearance would make it possible for the Maestrales to be withdrawn for badly-needed refits. A plan to build four new frigates was dropped. Unfortunately, the ships had deteriorated while they were idle, and it turned out that virtually none of their equipment was comparable to that in Italian service. Initially it seemed likely that they would be completely refitted with standard Italian equipment, but that is not being done. Instead, the ships were reconditioned and their sonars were removed. They serve as gunboats, equivalent to US Coast Guard

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: No significant events.

Bersagliere 2001

© Ivan Gogin, 2017-19