|
|
|
NAVY destroyer Audace
 Origin: Italy
Type:
Destroyer (DDG)
Built:
1968-1972
Class:
2 in service
Displacement:
3.800 tons standard; 4.400 tons full load
DImensions:
Length 446.4ft (136.6m) oa; beam 47.1ft (14,5m);
draught
15ft (4.6m)
Propulslon:
2-shaft double reduction geared turbines. 73.000shp
Performance:
Speed 34 knots;
range
3.000nm at 20 knots
Armament:
SAM: 1 Mk 13 launcher for Standard (missiles) Guns: 2 x 1127mm/54
Compact; 4 x 176mm/62 Compact Torpedo tubes: 2 x 3 Mk 32;
2
x 2 533mm
Aircraft:
2 AB 212 helicopters
Sensors:
Radar: SPS-25A air surveillance; 2 SPG-51 tracking and missile
guidance; MM/SPS-768v1 air search; SPQ-2D surface search;
3
Orion RTN-10X gun fire control; 3RM-7 navigation Sonar: CWE 610
Complement:
380
The
Impetuoso class, the first postwar destroyers to be designed and built
in Italy. were ordered in 1950. Closely tailored to Mediterranean
conditions. they were also strongly influenced by American design
practice: flushdecked and with twill funnels, they were armed with US
guns and fitted with US radars and electronics. In addition to four
5in guns mounted in twill turrets fore and aft they had 16 40mm
antiaircraft guns and an anti-submarine armament comprising a Menon
triple-barrel mortar and ASW torpedoes and. like all Italian warships.
they were fast.
The two ships of the next class, the Impavidos,
commissioned in 1957 and 1959. were an enlarged and improved version
of the Impetuoso. with the after 127mm mount replaced by a single Mk
13 SAM launcher capable of launchillg Tartar or Standard missiles and
the American 4Omm guns replaced by two Italian Brescia single 76mm
weapons, mounted either side of the mainmast. They have no hangar. but
operate single Agusta Bell AB 2MB ASW helicopters from the stern
flight-deck.
The Audace class is a further enlargement and development of the
Impavido class. The hull is somewhat larger and the Impavido's American
twin 5in mount has been replaced by two single superposed 127mm/54
OTO-Melara Compact guns. The AA armament amidships consists of four
76mm OTO-Melara Compacts in single turrets. one abreast each of the
funnels, A large hangar and a very SPiicious flight-deck have been
'provided aft for two Agusta Bell AB 2MB or AB 212 helicopters.
although there has been discussion of replacing these with two SH-3D
Sea Kings. The Mk 13 SAM launcher is mounted above the hangar and has
a magazine for 36 missiles. and the ships have a comprehensive fit of
US radar and Dutch sonar. Two Improved Audace DDGs with either COGOG or
CODOG machinery were ordered in 1986.
The Italian Navy has placed an order for a new destroyer class of an
Improved Audace design.
Once
again there is an increase in displacement-to 5.000 tons and the two
on-board helicopters will be the much larger SH-3D Sea Kings. Main
armament will be four 76mm OTO Melara Compacts in single mounts,
together with four Teseo SSMs. while air defence will be provided by a
Mk 13 Standard launcher for long-range engagements and two Albatros
systems with Aspide SAMs for close-in protection. Propulsion will be
CODOG with two FIAT / General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines and two GMT
B230 20 DVM diesels.
Names
are Animoso and Ardimentoso.
 Although the order
was only placed in 1986. the design for the new
ships has been in existence since 1975. with funding limitations
responsible for the ten-year delay in the start of construction. As a
result. some commentators believe that the design of the new destroyers
is already out of date: current trends would
indicate vertical launchers for the AA missiles
and an Aegis-type automatic fire control system. Even with the two new
ships the Italian Navy will have only six destroyers and two of those will
be the Impavido class vessels of late-1950s
design. so the Italian Navy Staff is planning a new programme to add
further to the current force of largely modern. soundly designed
equipment.
Audace (D 551 ), one of tile major units in the increasingly powerful
Italian Navy. Note the two single 127mm/54 Compact mounts in A and B
positions on the foredeck and the single 76mm/62 Compact mounts
amidships. The single-arm Mk 13 launcher for Standard SAM's can
be
seen between the SPG-51 D radars and the helicopter hangar
The Augusta-Bell AB
212 is the only shipboard helicopter to use a skid undercarriage: Audace and Ardito
each carry two.
Weapons
A
127mm/54 OTO Melara DP automatic gunmounting(1x1)
B
127mm/54OTO Melara DP automatic gunmounting(1x1)
C
76mm/62 OTO Melara Compact DP automatic gun mounting (2x1 )
D
76mm/62 OTOMelara compact DP automatic gunmounting (2x1) ,
E
324mm triple Mk32 ASW torpedo tubes (2x3)
F
Mk131auncherfor Standard SM-1(MR) SAM
G
Agusta Bell AB 212 ASW helicopter (2)
H
533mm ASW torpedo tubes in transom (2x2)
Electronics
1
CWE.610bow-mounted sonar
2
Orion RTN-10Xradar for Argo fire control system for 127mm and 76mm guns
3
RAN-20S air/surface surveilance radar 43RM20,navigation/ surface search
radar
5
SPQ-2D surface search/air control radar
6
SPS-52C 3D air surveinance radar
7
Orion RTN-10Xradar for Argo fire control system(2x1)
8
SPG-51 D missile control radar for Standard
9
SPG-51 D missile control radar for Standard
|
|
