Impetuoso-class destroyer

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.[1]

Impetuoso alongside USS Kalamazoo in the Mediterranean Sea in June 1977
Class overview
NameImpetuoso class
Builders
Operators Italian Navy
Preceded bySan Giorgio class
Succeeded byImpavido class
Built1952–1958
In commission1958–1983
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 2,775 tons standard
  • 3,810 tons full load
Length127.6 m (418 ft 8 in)
Beam13.2 m (43 ft 4 in)
Draught4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft geared turbines
  • 4 × Foster Wheeler boilers providing 65,000 hp (48,000 kW)
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement315
Sensors and
processing systems
  • SPS-6 air-search radar
  • SG-6B surface-search radar
  • SPG-25 and SPG-34 fire control radar
  • SQS-4 search sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
WLR-1 ESM (only Impetuoso by 1980)
Armament

Design

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The Impetuoso class hull design was based on the uncompleted World War II Comandanti Medaglie d'Oro-class destroyer.[1] The class has a length of 127.6 m (419 ft) with length between perpendiculars of 123.4 m (405 ft), a beam of 13.2 m (43 ft), with a draught of 4.5 m (15 ft), and their displacement were 2,775 long tons (2,820 t) standard and 3,810 long tons (3,870 t) at full load. The ships was powered by two-shaft geared steam turbines with four Foster Wheeler boilers, with total power output of 65,000 shaft horsepower (48 MW). Impetuoso class has a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h), with range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) while cruising at 16 knots (30 km/h).[1] The ships has a complement of 315 personnel.

The class were armed with four 5-inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns in two twin-gun turrets, 16 Bofors 40 mm/60 guns consisted of two quad-mounts and four twin-mounts, and one 305 mm Menon anti-submarine mortar. They were also armed with two fixed 533-millimetre (21 in) torpedo tubes, which was later replaced by two 12.75-inch (324 mm) triple-tubes with Mark 44 torpedoes.[1] There was a proposed modernization program in the late 1960s for the ships to be rearmed with a single lightweight 5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun forward and RIM-24 Tartar surface-to-air missile launcher in the aft.[1]

The ships electronics and sensors consisted of SPS-6 air-search radar, SG-6B surface-search radar, SPG-25 and SPG-34 fire control radar, and SQS-11 search sonar, which was later replaced with SQS-4 sonar.[1] As of 1980, Impetuoso was equipped with WLR-1 electronic support measure system with noise jammer, while Indomito appears to be not equipped with any electronic warfare system.[1]

Ships

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Name Pennant
number
Builder Laid down[1] Launched[1] Commissioned[1] Fate[1]
Impetuoso D 558 CNR, Riva Trigoso 7 May 1952 16 September 1956 25 January 1958 Stricken 1983
Indomito D 559 Ansaldo, Livorno 24 April 1952 9 August 1955 23 February 1958 Stricken 3 November 1980

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 206

Bibliography

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  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
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