The Centauro class consisted of four frigates built for the Italian Navy during the 1950s. They entered service in 1957, with the last one being stricken in 1985.
The Centauro-class ships measured 103.1 meters (338ft 3in) long overall, with a beam of 12 meters (39ft 4in) and a draft of 3.8 meters (12ft 6in). Their crew numbered 207 officers and enlisted men.[1] They displaced 1,680 metric tons (1,650 long tons) at standard load and 2,120 metric tons (2,090 long tons) at deep load.[2] The ships had two Tosi geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by two Foster Wheelerwater-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 22,000 shaft horsepower (16,000kW) for a speed of 26 knots (48km/h; 30mph). The Centauros had a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600km; 3,500mi) at 20 knots (37km/h; 23mph).[1]
While the guns were American, the sensors and fire-control systems (FCS) were Italian, although based on American equipment. The frigates were initially fitted with a Microlambda MLA-1 early-warning radar and the OTO Melara guns used a MTL-4 gunnery radar on the OG 2 director, an Italian version of the American Mark 39 radar used in the Mark 57 FCS. The MLA-1 systems were replaced by American AN/SPS-6 radars in all four ships by 1960. The Bofors guns used the OG 1 FCS, based on the Mark 51 FCS. A SQS-11A sonar provided data to the anti-submarine weapons.[3]
Castore at sea, 1967
Beginning around 1966, the frigates were rearmed with three of the first generation of the OTO Melara 76 mm Compact DP guns to replace the unsatisfactory Allargato guns and the Bofors guns. The Allargatos were hard to load, difficult to maintain and the mount lacked a sufficient number of ready rounds. The torpedo tubes and two of the short barrel Menon mortars were removed in exchange for two rotating triple tube mounts, one on each side, for 324-millimeter (12.8in)Mark 44 torpedoes. The sensors and fire-control suites were also upgraded, a SQS-36 sonar being added as was a MM/SPQ-2 radar. An OG 3 FCS with an Orion RTN-7X radar replaced the OG 2 director and its Mark 39 radar.[3]
Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1960). Jane's Fighting Ships 1960–61. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co.
Lyon, Hugh & Friedman, Norman (1995). "Italy". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp.195–218. ISBN1-55750-132-7.
The Santa María class of guided missile frigates is the Spanish Navy's designation for six warships based on the United States Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates. Spanish ships have a slightly bigger beam and were built with a greater weight reserve for future improvements. Other changes from the basic model include Meroka replacing Phalanx and a RAN-12L air search radar to provide low horizon coverage against sea skimmers cueing the Meroka CIWS mount. The Nettunel EW suite replaced the SLQ-32 system fitted aboard US ships. The first ship Santa Maria entered service in 1986.
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The 76mm/L62 Allargato is a single barrel, medium caliber, dual purpose automatic naval cannon designed and produced in the 1960s by the Italian defence firm of OTO-Melara as the cannon armament for all medium and large warships built for the Italian Navy in that decade. Currently, the gun remains in service with Italy's Cassiopea-class patrol vessels but has otherwise been largely replaced by the Otobreda 76 mm series of cannons.
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Centauro was the lead ship of the her class of four frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.
Canopo was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.
Castore was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.
Cigno was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.
Menon was an anti-submarine mortar used by the Italian Navy during the Cold War. Introduced in 1956 it was used on the Centauro-class and Bergamini-class frigates until their retirement in the 1980s.
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Italian Navy 
