Italian frigate Centauro

Last updated
MM Centauro.jpg
Centauro (F 554)
History
Naval Ensign of Italy.svg
NameCentauro
Namesake Centaur
Builder Gio. Ansaldo & C., Livorno
Laid down31 May 1952
Launched4 April 1954
Commissioned5 May 1957
Decommissioned31 May 1985
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type Centauro-class frigate
Displacement2,120  t (2,090 long tons) (deep load)
Length103.1 m (338 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draught3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power2 × water-tube boilers; 22,000  shp (16,000  kW)
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range3,000  nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement207
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

Centauro was the lead ship of her class of four frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.

Contents

Design and description

The Centauro-class ships measured 103.1 meters (338 ft 3 in) long overall, with a beam of 12 meters (39 ft 4 in) and a draft of 3.8 meters (12 ft 6 in). 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 Wheeler water-tube boilers. The turbines were rated at a total of 22,000 shaft horsepower (16,000  kW ) for a speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph). The Centauros had a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). [1]

The main armament of the Centauro-class ships consisted of four OTO Melara 76-millimeter (3 in) Allargato dual-purpose (DP) guns in two twin-gun mounts, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. The guns were positioned over-and-under in the mount and were protected against spray by a gun shield. Four 40-millimeter (1.6 in) Bofors AA guns in twin mounts were positioned on the rear superstructure. The ships were also armed with two fixed single tubes amidships for 533-millimeter (21 in) torpedoes. A triple-barrel 305-millimeter (12 in) Menon anti-submarine (ASW) mortar mount was located in front of the superstructure, superfiring over the forward 76-millimeter gun mount. The ships were also equipped with four short-barrelled Menon ASW mortars, two on each side abreast the rear superstructure, and a depth charge rail on the stern. [1]

The main guns were italian and the anti-air guns were american, while 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]

Centauro was rearmed in 1970–1971 with three of the first generation of the OTO Melara 76 mm Compact DP guns in single-gun mounts 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 (12.8 in) 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]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Lyon & Friedman, p. 208
  2. Blackman, p. 200
  3. 1 2 Lyon & Friedman, pp. 208–209

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<i>Santa María</i>-class frigate

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.

<i>Gearing</i>-class destroyer Class of American destroyers

The Gearing class was a series of 98 destroyers built for the U.S. Navy during and shortly after World War II. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the Allen M. Sumner class, whereby the hull was lengthened by 14 ft (4.3 m) at amidships, which resulted in more fuel storage space and increased the operating range.

The Andrea Doria class were helicopter cruisers of the Italian Navy. Italy's first major new designs of the post–World War II era, these ships were primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare tasks. Initially planned for three ships, the two ships that were constructed, Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio served until 1991 in both active and training capacities. The Andrea Doria class formed the basis for the larger Vittorio Veneto that followed them.

Italian cruiser <i>Vittorio Veneto</i>

Vittorio Veneto was a helicopter cruiser that served with the Italian Navy. Originally intended to be a class of two ships specifically designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), only Vittorio Veneto entered into service in 1969, its sister ship Italia being cancelled. Vittorio Veneto was placed into reserve in 2003 and decommissioned in 2006. This ship has the same general layout as the smaller Andrea Doria-class helicopter cruisers, but with two elevators in the flight deck and the hangar below, rather than with the hangar as part of the superstructure. It was named for the decisive Battle of Vittorio Veneto which ended World War I on the Italian front.

<i>Claud Jones</i>-class destroyer escort Class of American destroyer escorts

The Claud Jones-class destroyer escorts were four destroyer escorts built for the United States Navy in the late 1950s. These ships were a diesel-powered version of the earlier Dealey class and were designed with the aim of producing a cheaper ship suitable for rapid production in wartime. These ships also had reduced armament and speed compared to their predecessors. They were not seen as effective anti-submarine warfare vessels by the United States Navy and were sold after only 15 years service to the Indonesian Navy.

<i>João Belo</i>-class frigate

The João Belo class, also known as Comandante João Belo class, is a class of four frigates of French design, based on the Commandant Rivière class but fitted for tropical service. Ordered by the Portuguese Navy in 1964, the four ships of this class were constructed at the shipyard in Nantes, France between 1965 and 1967. The first ship entered Portuguese service in 1967. The frigates were used for ocean patrol of Portuguese colonies and later, joined NATO's STANAVFORLANT unit. The first unit was discarded in 2003, followed by a second in 2004. The final two ships were taken out of service in 2008 sold to the Uruguayan Navy. The third ship was discarded in 2021, and the last ship was decommissioned on 12 August 2022.

<i>Impetuoso</i>-class destroyer Italian Navy ship class

The Impetuoso class were the first post-World War II destroyers built for the Italian Navy. The two ships were ordered in February 1950, entered service in 1958 and were retired in the early 1980s.

<i>Mackenzie</i>-class destroyer

The Mackenzie-class destroyer was a class of warship used by the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces from the 1960s–1990s. Six such ships were envisioned, of which four were completed to this specification. The last two hulls were completed to the post DDH conversion St. Laurent-class design ; they were designated as the Annapolis class instead. The four Mackenzie-class destroyers spent most of their service in the Pacific Ocean, used primarily in a training role. Their only significant update was the DELEX program, which was completed between 1982 and 1985 and updated their navigational radar and their sonar.

<i>Annapolis</i>-class destroyer

The Annapolis-class destroyer escort was a two-ship class of destroyer escorts that saw service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces from the 1960s to the 1990s. The final version of the St. Laurent-class design, the class was used extensively for anti-submarine warfare purposes. Both ships were sunk as artificial reefs after being retired, one on each coast of Canada.

<i>Tapi</i>-class corvette

Tapi-class corvettes are a class of two corvettes that were built for the Royal Thai Navy in the early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">76mm/L62 Allargato</span> Naval gun

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.

<i>Dealey</i>-class destroyer escort Class of American destroyer escorts

The Dealey-class destroyer escorts were the first post-World War II escort ships built for the United States Navy.

<i>Admiral Pereira da Silva</i>-class frigate

The Admiral Pereira da Silva class of frigates, also known as Admiral-class frigates, were in the service of the Portuguese Navy between 1966 and 1985. The class was based on the Dealey-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy. The three ships of the class were built in Portugal, at the Lisnave shipyards and the shipyards of Viana do Castelo. The construction of the ships was part of the effort of Portugal to expand its fleet in the face of unrest in the empire and was financed by the United States via the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. Financial problems prevented them from ever being modernised and they were deleted in 1989.

HNLMS <i>Kortenaer</i> (F807)

HNLMS Kortenaer (F807) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1978 to 1997 and today serves as HS Kountouriotis with the Hellenic Navy. The frigate was initially named after Dutch naval hero Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer and then after Pavlos Kountouriotis, distinguished Admiral of the Hellenic Navy, responsible for Greek naval victories in the Aegean Sea that secured the Aegean for Greece during the First Balkan War. The ship's radio call sign was "PADA".

HNLMS <i>Callenburgh</i> (F808)

HNLMS Callenburgh (F808) was a frigate of the Kortenaer class. The ship was in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1979 to 1994. The frigate was named after Dutch naval hero Gerard Callenburgh. The ship's radio call sign was "PADB".

<i>Centauro</i>-class frigate Frigates of the Italian Navy

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.

Italian frigate <i>Canopo</i>

Canopo was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.

Italian frigate <i>Castore</i>

Castore was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.

Italian frigate <i>Cigno</i>

Cigno was one of four Centauro-class frigates built for the Italian Navy in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menon (weapon)</span> Type of anti-submarine mortar

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 and Impetuoso-class destroyers until their retirement in the 1980s.