Lupo-class frigate

Last updated
US Navy 100326-N-4774B-247 The Peru navy frigate BAP Carvajal (FM 51) is participating in Southern Seas 2010, a U.S. Southern Command-directed operation that provides U.S. and international forces the opportunity to operate in.jpg
Peruvian Navy frigate BAP Carvajal participating in Southern Seas 2010
Class overview
NameLupo class
Builders
Operators
Preceded by Alpino class
Succeeded by Maestrale class
Subclasses
  • Carvajal class
  • Mariscal Sucre class
  • Artigliere (Soldati) class
In commission1977
Planned18
Completed18
Active10
Laid up5
Retired8
Scrapped3
General characteristics
Type Guided-missile frigate
Displacement2.506  t (2.466 long tons) full load
Length113.2 m (371 ft) LOA
Beam11.3 m (37 ft)
Draft3.7 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 35 kn (65 km/h) with gas turbines
  • 21 kn (39 km/h) with diesels
Range4,300 nmi (8,000 km) at 16 kn (30 km/h)
Complement185 (20 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • - Selenia SADOC 2 combat management system
  • - 1 x Selenia SPS-774 (RAN-10S) early warning radar
  • - 1 x Selenia SPQ-2F CORA OTH surface search radar
  • - 1 x Selenia SPS-702 (or RAN-11L/X) air/surface search radar
  • - 1 x Selenia SPG-70 (RTN-10X) fire control radar
  • - 1 x Raytheon Mk 95 fire control radar
  • - 2 x Selenia SPG-74 (RTN-20X) fire control radar
  • - 1 x GEM Elettronica AN/SPN-748 navigation radar
  • - Raytheon DE 1160B (SQS-56) hull sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried1 AB-212ASW helicopter
Aviation facilities
  • Flight deck: 25.2 m × 11.3 m (83 ft × 37 ft)
  • Telescopic hangar for 1 medium helicopter.

The Lupo class is a class of frigates built by Cantieri Navali Riuniti (CNR) for the Italian Navy. Designed as multipurpose warships with an emphasis on anti-surface warfare (ASuW), they have enjoyed some success in the export market, being acquired by the navies of Peru and Venezuela. A small run of a slightly updated version is known as the Soldati class.

Contents

Design

In the early 1970s, the Italian Navy faced an increased Soviet naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea which constituted a threat to its sea lines of communication as well as to its extensive coastline. To parry this menace, Italy started a naval expansion program which included frigates focused on ASuW (Lupo class) and on ASW (Maestrale class).

For the first part of the requirement, CNR presented a design for a 2,500-ton frigate with a high speed and a heavy weapons load. The ship employed a CODOG propulsion plant to achieve 35  knots, making it one of the fastest warships at the time. Armament included 8  SSMs, 8  SAMs, several gun systems, 2 triple torpedo tubes and an ASW helicopter, which was equivalent to that carried by larger warships. Lupo-class frigates have a crew of around 200.

Italian Navy

The Italian Navy commissioned four Lupo-class frigates between 1977 and 1980. These ships were deployed to the Persian Gulf first as escorts for tankers during the last stages of the Iran–Iraq War (1987–1988) and then as part of the Coalition forces during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. After these operations, the whole class underwent modernization which included fitting an SPS-702 CORA surface search radar and SATCOM equipment. After two decades in service, the four Italian Lupo-class frigates were decommissioned and sold to Peru in the early 2000s.

In 1996 four new Lupo-class frigates which had been built for Iraq in 1985–87, were incorporated into the Italian Navy as the Artigliere class. These ships feature a telescopic hangar; they were refitted as patrol ships and changes made for Italian service included the removal of all ASW equipment. The four ships are Artigliere ("artilleryman" - pennant F 582), Aviere ("airman" - F 583), Bersagliere ("sharpshooter" - F 584) and Granatiere ("grenadier" - F 585), and are used in fleet escort or long-range patrolling duties.

Ships

Naval Ensign of Italy.svg  Italian Navy Lupo class
Pennant
number 		ShipBuilderHull
number		Laid downLaunchedCommissionedMottoFate
F 564 Lupo Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso 30011 October 197429 July 197612 September 1977Fulmineo sulla predaTransferred to Peru, renamed Palacios
F 565 Sagittario 3014 February 197622 June 197718 November 1978Non cohibetur sagittaTransferred to Peru, renamed Quiñones
F 566 Perseo 30228 February 197712 July 19781 March 1980Vincerà chi vorrà vincereTransferred to Peru, renamed Coronel Bolognesi
F 567 Orsa Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Muggiano 3031 August 19771 March 19791 March 1980 Fortitude FortiorTransferred to Peru, renamed Aguirre
A starboard view of the Italian Lupo-class frigate Sagittario underway during exercise Distant Drum in 1983 MM Sagittario Distant Drum 1983.jpg
A starboard view of the Italian Lupo-class frigate Sagittario underway during exercise Distant Drum in 1983
BAP Villavicencio underway off Dungeness Spit, Washington, June 2015 BAP Villavicencio FM-52.jpg
BAP Villavicencio underway off Dungeness Spit, Washington, June 2015

Soldati-class patrol frigate

Iraq ordered four Lupo-class frigates from CNR in 1980 as part of a naval expansion program just before the Iran–Iraq War. [1] These ships, which feature a telescopic hangar were completed between 1985 and 1987. Due to restrictions on arm sales to Iraq because of the Iran-Iraq War placed by the Italian prime minister Bettino Craxi, the ships remained interned in Italy until the end of that war in 1988. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein then tried to renegotiate the price of these ships (and the other ships purchased from Italy), claiming he should receive a discount due to the delay in delivery of the ships. [1] Negotiations and court proceedings were still ongoing when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and a new arms embargo against Iraq was placed by the United Nations, again blocking the sale. [1] In 1993 all of them were seized and, after being refitted as patrol ships, incorporated to the Italian Navy as the Soldati class in 1996. Changes made for Italian service included the removal of all ASW equipment. The four ships are Artigliere (pennant F 582), Aviere (F 583), Bersagliere (F 584) and Granatiere (F 585), and are used in fleet escort or long range patrolling duties. The Philippines considered acquiring the Soldati class in 2012. [2]


F582 and F584 wete scrapped in Aliaga in 2024. [3]

Naval Ensign of Italy.svg  Italian Navy Soldati class
Pennant
number 		ShipBuilderHull
number		Laid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedMotto
F 582 Artigliere (ex-Hittin) Fincantieri, Ancona 90331 March 198227 July 198328 October 199413 December 2013Primi Velitum
F 583 Aviere (ex-Thi Qar)9043 September 198219 December 19844 January 19952 October 2019Virtute Siderum Tenus
F 584 Bersagliere (ex-Al Yarmouk) Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso 90512 March 198418 April 19858 November 199517 April 2018 [4] Pro Patria
F 585 Granatiere (ex-Al Qadisiya) Fincantieri, Ancona 9061 December 19831 June 198520 March 199630 September 2015A me le guardie

Peruvian Navy

Peruvian frigate BAP Carvajal maneuvers through the Caribbean Sea during UNITAS 46-05 BAP Carvajal Unitas 46-05.jpg
Peruvian frigate BAP Carvajal maneuvers through the Caribbean Sea during UNITAS 46-05

Peru became involved early in the Lupo-class frigate program, ordering four ships in 1973. The Peruvian ships were built to a modified design which included different radars, Aspide instead of Sea Sparrow SAMs, and a fixed instead of a telescopic hangar. The first two were built by CNR at its shipyard in Riva Trigoso, Genoa, and commissioned in 1979.

Construction work for the second pair was carried out under license by SIMA (Servicio Industrial de la Marina, Navy Industrial Service) at Callao, with the ships commissioning in 1984 and 1987. Of the Peruvian Lupos, BAP Carvajal (FM-51), BAP Mariátegui (FM-54), BAP Villavicencio (FM-52) and BAP Montero (now BAP Almirante Grau) (FM-53) had their flight decks extended to allow ASH-3D Sea King helicopters to land and refuel, even though they cannot be housed in the ship's hangar.

In November 2004 other ex-Italian Lupo-class vessels were incorporated into the Peruvian Navy: BAP Aguirre (FM-55) (ex-Orsa) and BAP Palacios (FM-56) (ex-Lupo). Finally in August 2006 the last Italian Lupo ships arrived in Callao: BAP Quiñones (FM-58) and BAP Bolognesi (FM-57). In 2013, Carvajal was transferred to the Peruvian Coast Guard and renamed Guardiamarina San Martin. [5]

Ships

Peruvian Carvajal-class frigates, Montero and Mariategui. BAP Montero and BAP Mariategui Unitas 44-01.jpg
Peruvian Carvajal-class frigates, Montero and Mariátegui.
Carvajal class
Pennant numberShipBuilderHull
number		Laid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
FM-51 Carvajal Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso3048 August 197417 November 19765 February 1979Transferred to Peruvian Coast Guard in 2013, renamed Guardiamarina San Martin
FM-52 Villavicencio 3056 October 19767 February 197825 June 1979Active in service
FM-53 Montero (later Almirante Grau)SIMA, CallaoOctober 19788 October 198225 July 1984Active in service. Renamed 2017
FM-54 Mariátegui 19798 October 198410 October 1987Active in service
ex-Italian Lupo class
FM-55 Aguirre Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Muggiano3031 August 19771 March 1979ex-Orsa
FM-56 Palacios Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso30011 October 197429 July 1976ex-Lupo
FM-57 Coronel Bolognesi 30228 February 197712 July 1978ex-Perseo
FM-58 Quiñones 3014 February 197622 June 1977ex-Sagittario

Venezuelan Navy

A starboard bow view of ARV General Salom prior to its upgrade ARV General Salom (F-25) - 1987-09856.jpg
A starboard bow view of ARV General Salom prior to its upgrade
ARV General Soublette (F-24) and ARV General Salom (F-25) docked alongside in port ARV General Soublette and ARV General Salom.jpg
ARV General Soublette (F-24) and ARV General Salóm (F-25) docked alongside in port

Venezuela ordered six Lupo-class frigates from CNR in 1975 as a replacement for older warships. These units were commissioned between 1980 and 1982. In general terms, their appearance and equipment is similar to those built for Peru, except for some differences in electronics and missiles. The first two ships, ARV Mariscal Sucre (F-21) and ARV Almirante Brión (F-22) were upgraded by Ingalls Shipbuilding over a four years period (1998–2002). Modifications of these two ships included:

The other ships in Venezuelan service were expected to undergo an austere version of this upgrade, but three ships were eventually taken out of service. As of December 2022, however, the Mariscal Sucre has been observed to be partially sunk alongside the partially scrapped General Soublette. [6]

Ships

Mariscal Sucre class
Pennant
number		ShipBuilderHull
number		Laid downLaunchedCommissionedFate
F-21 Mariscal Sucre Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso85119 November 197628 September 197810 May 1980Out of service; partially sunk
F-22 Almirante Brión 853June 197722 February 19797 March 1981In service
F-23 General Urdaneta 85223 January 197823 March 19798 August 1981Out of service
F-24 General Soublette 85526 August 19784 January 19805 December 1981Out of service; partially scrapped
F-25 General Salom 8547 November 197813 January 19803 April 1982Out of service; reportedly sold for scrap [7]
F-26 Almirante Garcia (ex-José Felix Ribas)85621 August 19794 October 198030 July 1982Out of service

See also

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Italian frigate <i>Lupo</i> (F 564)

Lupo was the lead ship of the Lupo-class frigate of the Italian Navy. She was sold to Peruvian Navy in the 2000s.

Italian frigate <i>Perseo</i> (F 566)

Perseo is the third ship of the Lupo-class frigate of the Italian Navy. She was sold to Peruvian Navy in the 2000s.

Italian frigate <i>Orsa</i> (F 567) Fourth ship of the Lupo-class frigate of the Italian Navy

Orsa is the fourth ship of the Lupo-class frigate of the Italian Navy. She was sold to Peruvian Navy in the 2000s.

Italian frigate <i>Artigliere</i> (F 582) Soldati-class frigate

Artigliere (F-582) was the lead ship of the Soldati-class frigate of the Italian Navy.

Italian frigate <i>Aviere</i> (F 583) Soldati-class frigate

Aviere (F-583) was the second ship of the Soldati-class frigate of the Italian Navy.

Italian frigate <i>Bersagliere</i> (F 584) Soldati-class frigate

Bersagliere (F-584) was the third Soldati-class frigate of the Italian Navy.

Italian frigate <i>Granatiere</i> (F 585) Soldati-class frigate

Bersagliere (F-584) was the fourth ship of the Soldati-class frigate of the Italian Navy.

ARV <i>Mariscal Sucre</i> (F-21) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

ARV Mariscal Sucre (F-21) is the lead ship of the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate of the Venezuelan Navy.

ARV <i>Almirante Brión</i> (F-22) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

ARV Almirante Brión (F-22) is the second ship of the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate of the Venezuelan Navy.

ARV <i>General Urdaneta</i> (F-23) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

ARV General Urdaneta (F-23) was the third ship of the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate of the Venezuelan Navy.

ARV <i>General Soublette</i> (F-24) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

ARV General Soublette (F-24) was the fourth ship of the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate of the Venezuelan Navy.

ARV <i>General Salóm</i> (F-25) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

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ARV <i>Almirante García</i> (F-26) Mariscal Sucre-class frigate

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Italian destroyer <i>Garibaldino</i> Italian Soldato-class destroyer

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Italian destroyer <i>Bersagliere</i> (1906) Italian Soldato-class destroyer

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Duval Smith, Alex (4 January 2003). "This Europe: Lying idle off Italy's coast, the pride and joy of the Iraqi navy". The Independent. London.
  2. ↑ Romero, Alexis (8 February 2012). "DND signs 5-year agreement with Italy". Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Wikipedia:Spielwiese – Wikipedia". Archived from the original on 2024-05-21.
  4. ↑ Italian Navy retires Bersagliere frigate, Jane's 360, 17 April 2018, retrieved 17 April 2018
  5. ↑ "Marina de Guerra del Perú realizará ceremonia de Zarpe de Expedición Científica a la Antártida – ANTAR XXII, Colocación de la Quilla del Remolcador Auxiliar de Salvamento y Patrullera Marítima, Transferencia del BAP Carvajal a DICAPI" (in Spanish). Peruvian Navy. 23 December 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Frigate Soublette (F-24) (left), dismantled and scrapped, and Mariscal Sucre (F-21) (right) partially sunk at the Puerto Cabello naval base of the Venezuelan Navy". Facebook . 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  7. ↑ Seawaves Magazine [@seawaves_mag] (11 January 2023). "Retired Venezuelan Lupo Class frigate General Salom reported to have been sold for scrap" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 February 2024– via Twitter.

Sources

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