(G.Delcuratolo)
GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI Cruiser Carrier
Flagship of Italian Navy
(G.Delcuratolo)
Year: 1985; tons: 13.370; top speed: 32 knots; weapons: 18 helicopters EH101 or 16 Harrier II fighters; 4 anti-ship Teseo missiles launchers; 2 anti-aircraft Aspide missile launchers; 3 Dardo anti-aircraft/ships gun turrets; 2 rocket launchers; 2 antisubmarine torpedo launchers; crew: 825.
Motto: "Obbedisco" (I Obey)
I spent almost two years on the "Garibaldi" and I do love this ship!!!
VITTORIO VENETO Cruiser
(Maristat/Udap)
Year: 1969 (upgraded in 1991); tons: 9.200; top speed: 32 knots; weapons: 6 medium helicopters; 4 anti-ship Teseo missiles launchers; 1 SM-1 or Asroc anti aircraft missile launcher (60 missiles in total); 8 76/62 mm guns; 3 40/70 gun turrets; 2 rocket launchers; 2 torpedo launchers; crew: 557.
Motto: "Victoria Nobis Vita"
AUDACE Destroyer Class
(Maristat/Udap)
Number: 2 (Audace, Ardito); year: 1973 (upgraded in1990); tons: 4.554; top speed: 33 knots; weapons: 2 Ab212 ASW helicopters; 8 Teseo anti-ship missiles; 1 antiaircraft SM-1 missile launcher (40 missiles); 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 125/54 gun; 4 76/62 Superrapido guns; 2 rocket launchers; 2 torpedo launchers; crew: 380.
Mottoes: "Gloria Audaciae Comes" (Audace); "Nihil Obest" (Ardito)
DURAND DE LA PENNE Superdestroyer Class
(Fincantieri)
Number: 2 (Luigi Durand de La Penne, Francesco Mimbelli); year: 1993; tons: 5400; top speed: 31 knots; weapons: 2 Ab212 ASW (or 2 NH90) helicopters; 8 Teseo anti-ship missiles; 1 antiaircraft SM-1 missile launcher (40 missiles); 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 125/54 gun; 3 76/62 Superrapido guns; 2 rocket launchers; 2 torpedo launchers; crew: 400.
Mottoes: Utique Vince (Durand de La Penne); Audendum Est (Mimbelli)
LUPO Frigate Class
(Maristat/Udap)
Number: 4 (Lupo, Sagittario, Perseo, Orsa); year: 1974-1980; tons: 2500; top speed: 35 knots; weapon: 1 Ab212 ASW (or 2 NH90) helicopters; 8 Teseo anti-ship missiles; 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 125/54 gun; 2 40/70 guns; 2 torpedo launchers; crew: 185.
Mottoes: "Fulmineo sulla preda" (Lupo - As lighting on the prey); "Non cohibetur sagitta" (Sagittario); "Vincerā chi vorrā vincere" (Perseo - Who will want to win, he will win); "Fortitude Fortior" (Orsa).
MAESTRALE Frigate Class
(Maristat/Udap)
Number: 8 (Maestrale, Grecale, Libeccio, Scirocco, Aliseo, Euro, Espero, Zeffiro); year: 1979-1983; tons: 3000; top speed: 32 knots; weapon: 2 Ab212 ASW (or 2 NH90) helicopters; 8 Teseo anti-ship missiles; 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 125/54 gun; 2 40/70 guns; 4 torpedo launchers; 1 rocket launcher; crew: 185.
Mottoes: "Veloce e veemente" (Maestrale - Fast and vehement); "Venti Impetu" (Grecale); "Paveant turbinem hostes" (Libeccio); "Acriter in Hostes" (Scirocco); "Constans et indomitus" (Aliseo); "Rapido velocior Euro" (Euro); "A nessuno secondo" (Espero - Second to no one); "Nitor in adversum" (Zeffiro).
ARTIGLIERE Patrol Frigate Class
Number: 4 (Artigliere, Bersagliere, Aviere, Granatiere); year 1985-1992; tons: 2500; top speed: 35 knots; weapons: 8 Teseo anti-ship missiles; 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 125/54 gun; 2 40/70 guns; 1 helicopter, crew: 180..
Mottoes:Primis Velitus (Artigliere), Pro Patria (Bersagliere), Virtute Siderum Tenus (Aviere), A me le guardie (To me, Guards! - Granatiere)
MINERVA Corvette Class
(Maristat/Udap)
Number: 8 (Minerva, Urania, Danaide, Sfinge, Driade, Chimera, Fenice, Sibilla); year: 1991; tons: 1200; top speed: 24 knots; weapon: 1 antiaircraft Aspide missile launcher; 1 76/62 gun; 2 torpedo launchers; crew: 123.
Mottoes: "Vi et Virtute" ( Minerva); "Fortiter ac fideliter" (Urania); "Agere non loqui" (Danaide); "Tacita atque resoluta" (Sfinge); "Virtuti Confido" (Driade); "In arduis intrepida" (Chimera); "Resurgit" (Fenice); "Timeo sed timorem" (Sibilla).
ENRICO TOTI Submarine Class
Number: 2 (Enrico Toti, Enrico Dandolo); year: 1969; tons: 582; top speed: 15 knots; weapon: 4 torpedo launchers; crew: 26.
Mottoes: "Vincere ad ogni costo" (Toti - To win, whatever the cost may be); "Secondo a nessuno" (Dandolo - Second to no one).
NAZARIO SAURO Submarine Class
A Sauro class submarine and a Toti class one. (Maristat/Udap)
Number: 8 (Nazario Sauro, Carlo Fecia di Cossato, Leonardo da Vinci, Guglielmo Marconi, Salvatore Pelosi, Giuliano Prini, Primo Longobardo, Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia); year: 1974/94; tons: 1400-1900; top speed: 19 knots; weapon: 6 torpedo launchers, antiship missiles; crew: 50.
Mottoes: "Per undas ad victoriam" (Sauro); "Nobis ardua" (Fecia di Cossato); "Non si volta chi a stella č fiso" (Da Vinci - Who aims the stars does not turn his head); Ex imis ad astra (Marconi); "In silentio et spe" (Pelosi); "Quid possit Itala virtus" (Prini); "Exemplum adest" (Longobardo); "Clarior ex tenebris" (Gazzana Priaroggia).
SAN GIORGIO/SAN GIUSTO Landing Platform Dock Classes
(Maristat/Udap)
Number: 3 (San Giorgio, San Marco, San Giusto); year 1991-94; tons: 7.900; top speed: 20 knots; weapons: 1 76/62 gun; 2 20/70 guns; loading: 350 marines, 36 Lvtp or Vcc; crew: 200.
Mottoes: "Arremba San Zorzo" (Tally-o, Saint George - San Giorgio); "Ti con nu, nu con ti" (You with us, we with you); "Coragio no manca, co' semo nel giusto" ( We don't miss courage 'couse we're right - San Giusto).
NIBBIO Hydrofoil Patroller Class
Number: 6 (Nibbio, Falcone, Astore, Grifone, Gheppio, Condor); year: 1977-84; top speed: 50 knots; weapons: 2 antiship missiles Teseo; 1 76/62 gun; crew: 10.
Flotilla's motto: "In hostem celerrime volant".
The Fleet's future
For the next future Italian Navy will get a new generation heavy frigate/destroyer which is a new European project, called Horizon: it will be the result of synergism of British, French and Italian naval industries for their respective navies. The purpose is to replace the Audace class destroyers. This important agreement was finally signed on 22 March 1996 after eight years of discussion and four years of negotiations. The new frigates should be combat ready at the beginning of the new century. The frigate will have a displacement of 6,500 tons, with a maximum speed of 30 knots and will accommodate 235 crew. This ship will have mainly an anti-aircraft anti-missile configuration: it will be armed with the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS, a French-Italian project), 16 Aster-15 and 32 Aster-30 weapons, 6 SAM vertical launch systems, 8 (2 quad) ANNG surface-to-surface missiles, and an inner layer missile or gun system. There will be 127mm and 30mm guns; Stingray torpedoes and torpedo launchers, and decoys. The hull will be fitted with Type 2050 medium frequency search and attack sonar. She will be also equipped by air/surface search radar and surveillance/fire control radar. Italy should receive 6 ships. This is another case that demonstrates how western countries need to cooperate in making complex weapon system as ships or airplanes, to exploit optimally their resources, to obtain the maximum at the lowest price.