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Italian Navy / Marina Militare Italiana Durand de la Penne class Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) |
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| 10/22 | |
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D 560 ITS Luigi Durand de la Penne D 561 ITS Francesco Mimbelli |
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| Specifications: | |
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Displacement: 4500 tons (standard) / 5560 tons (full load) Length: 147.7 meters (485 feet) Beam: 16.1 meters (53 ft) Draft: 5 / 6.7 meters (16 / 22 ft) Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h), max. Range: 7000 NMI (13000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) Complement: 380 Propulsion: CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas) 2 x GE/Avio LM2500 gas turbines (55000 hp / 41 MW) 2 x Grandi Motori Trieste BL-230-20 DVM diesel engines (12600 hp / 9.4 MW) 6 x Fincantieri DMD 203-6diesel generators for electric power 2 shafts / 2 controllable pitch propellers
Aviation: flight deck and hangar for 2 Helicopters (AB-212 or NH90) Systems: 1 x AN/SPS-52C long-range air-search 3D radar 1 x MM/SPS-768 air search radar - replaced by MM/SPS-798 1 x MM/SPS-774 medium-range air and surface search radar 1 x MM/SPS-702 CORA surface search radar 1 x MM/SPN-703 navigation radar 2 x AN/SPG-51D fire control radars (SM-1) 4 x Orion RTN-30X (MM/SPG-75) fire control radar and optronic (Aspide SAM + gun) 1 x DE-1164/1167 sonar system 1 x AN/URN-25 Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) 1 x SADOC-2 (IPN-20) combat system 1 x SLQ-732 Nettuno ECM system 2 x SAGEM Sagaie decoy launching system 1 x AN/SLQ-25 NIXIE Surface Ship Torpedo Defense System (SSTDS) |
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The Durand de Le Penne class are escort
and combat class ships, able to operate in every combat condition,
and especially devised to survive to heavy missile and aircraft
attacks. Its construction is made almost totally with steel; the
structure is a continuous deck with a low, large stern, to
accommodate the helicopter force. The fore hull is very pointed,
with a very pronounced sea-cutter structure. The superstructure
consists of two blocks, relatively low and wide, both with a high,
antenna mast with a triangular cross-section for all the electronic.
The engines exhausts are in two groups, one for each superstructure:
the aft has two exhausts flank to flank, slightly inclined. Then
there is the Standard missile system and finally the helicopter
facilities. The ship itself is built to be much more difficult to sink by enemy action than the previous types, with many bulkheads and anti-fire systems. Many of the main communication lines and computers are duplicated, and there is an NBC system for the crew. Stealthness is partially applied, with reduction of RCS, heat, noise and magnetic signatures. The speed, given by a CODAG system, is high (31 knots) but not so high like the previous Audaces, also because the modern ships seldom has need of speeds over 25 knots (46 km/h). The endurance, automation and economy are more important, as well as the compact design of this power-plant. The powerplant is based on two General Electric LM-2500 gas turbines, one of the most successful naval turbines, and 2 diesels. One of each are linked with one shaft fitted with a propeller with 5 blades. The entire propulsion system is controlled remotely; no crew is needed inside the powerplant section in normal situations. As for vulnerability and general characteristics, these ships, while prestigious, were a bit smaller than was actually needed. In fact, the weapon (and explosives) concentration is very high. In the foredeck, in less than 20 m there are 3 medium caliber guns, with over 200 shells just behind the deck ready for use, surrounding the Aspide system, that has 16 or 24 × 230 kg missiles just below the deck. The aft superstructure is equally heavily armed, with a gun, 2 helicopters and 40 SM-1/2 missiles (the combined weight of the latter 24 tonnes, with over 1 T high-explosive), plus the ASW torpedo stores (several Mk 46 or A244 torpedoes), in less than 25 m. Also because of this, the crew complement, at 380, is larger than as in other modern ships: a large crew is absolutely required to control damage or fire. Although the class is criticized for the small displacement related to their equipment, the previous Audace class were even more cramped: they were 900t lighter, quite smaller, with a bulky powerplant; however, in their latest update they had the same armament, plus an extra Super-Rapido gun (4 instead of 3). Another criticism aimed at these ships is the lack of vertical launchers, not purchased by Italian Navy because of financial constraints, choosing instead to modernize the Impavido's launchers. Therefore, the Durand de la Penne class are the last and maybe the most powerful of the "conventional missile destroyers". This came at a cost, however: 1500mld. Lire for both these ships (1981-1993 program), partially because a large production run could not be afforded by the navy or such big ships (so no economies of scale were obtained). Weaponry: These ships have an overall shape that appears as large, low, and aggressive. A direct consequence of their armament and the special features of sloped surfaces (because of stealth principles). Weapon systems include gun batteries scattered over all the ship, which helps to make its profile well recognisable. As anti-aircraft equipment, there are 6 weapons, of four different types: Standard SM-1 launcher Mk13, Albatross-Aspide, 1 gun Compact 127/54 mm, 3 guns Super-Rapid of 76 mm caliber. All these weapons cover all the horizon, giving an air defence able to stop quite heavy attacks, especially from the front, because the majority of these are placed on the foredeck. If the Standard missiles, with their 2 SPG radar are dedicated to air defence at longer ranges, the rest is medium-short range weaponry. Having Aspide/Sea Sparrow launchers, these ships are one of the few that possess both these systems (Standard and Sparrow class missiles). Aspide are very advanced missiles (with monopulse guide from the start of service, 1977), but they are almost identical to Sea Sparrow. In fact, these latter were mass-produced by Alenia before the start of the Aspide, so this experience was a clear advantage to when it came to build new missiles. However, all the systems warhead, guide, engine) were new and much improved over the old Sparrow-E, and roughly equal to Sparrow-M, which were not available in 1977. 16 missiles are in the magazines, but a Riva-Calzoni system can quickly load 4 at once in the 8 cell launcher, so these missiles are quickly reloadable (the Sparrow launchers have manual reloading). The Compatto 127 mm gun was removed from the Audace DDGs when Aspide was fitted. It was modernised before its re-utilisation on the Durand de la Penne class. The OTO Super Rapid are powerful weapons for their calibre, and despite CIWS defence normally delegated to smaller calibres, they have mainly this task. They can shoot 120 RPM, 6.3 kg (14 lb) shells with sophisticated fuses, and engage at 6 km (4 mi) even anti-ship missiles. It is claimed by OTO that these guns can engage 4 missiles before they reach the ship. In every case, they have beaten the contenders like Dardo 40 mm guns and the new Myriad, 25 mm gatling CIWS (that have not seen any commercial success), despite its 10000 rpm capability. Four RTN-30 radar-optical system control such weapons, 2 fore and 2 aft, so not all the weapons can shoot simultaneously at different targets. As for anti-ship weapons, the ship carries Otomat, missiles with very long range (180 km or more), with mid-course guidance by AB-212s, sea skimmer capability and a 210 kg (463 lb) warhead. 8 missiles are placed mid-ship, between the two main superstructures. The aft superstructure has a very concentrated set of weapons (just like the foredeck). In the hangar superstructure there are 2 AB-212ASW, 1 Super-Rapido gun, and the 40 missiles of the Mk 13 launcher, probably now utilising SM-2MR missiles, an eventual big improvement over the original in almost every respect. Standard missiles are capable of attacking naval vessels. The electronic systems are a complete suite with dedicated systems for all the tasks and 11 different radar systems. These are: SPS-40 tri-dimensional radar over one of the 2 triangular trees, the aft one (US built, 300 km (186 mi) range, S band) The other main radar is an SPS-768 bi-dimensional (Alenia built, roughly the same range, D band), that is placed over the turrion, then, there is a radar dedicated to look for low-flying aircraft and ships, 160 km (99 mi) range (S), in the forward tree. Perhaps this unusual accommodation was due to the excessive weight up high, if the two main radars were both placed on the trees. It is linked with Dardo FCS. The forward tree has a quantity of small electronic antennas for communications, datalinks and ECMs. There is also a surface radar SPS-702, X band, the latest version of a type which has been quite successful and with all solid-state electronics. Finally there is a navigation radar, with X band, in the forward tree. 6 x FCS radars are present, with two Standard missile radars AN/SPG-51 D (G/I band) with a FCS Mk 74 Mod.6. 4 DARDO-E are used for artillery and Aspide use, K-band (plus TV, IL, laser and IR sensors) A DE 1164/1167 sonar with (differently by Audaces) an immersion (VDS) DE 1167 element An ECM set Nettuno, one ESM, 2 rocket launchers DAGAIE (of French construction, replacing the previous SCLAR systems of Breda, 10 tubes with 330 mm (13 in) caliber and 10 km (6 mi) range, IR-radar decoys) A complete set for communication and control, including the combat system called IPN-20 by the manufacturer Alenia, and SADOC-2 by the Italian Navy. It's a computerised elaboration system, that take care of all the tactical information and communications with other platforms. It has 10 consoles with one operator each. source: wikipedia |
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class images for more images go to the individual ship-site |
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 D 560 ITS Luigi Durand de la Penne  D 561 ITS Francesco Mimbelli ARMAMENT + DETAILS    Oto-Melara 127/54 compact gun - Albatros box-launcher for Aspide SAM  Oto-Melara 76/62 SR gun on the hangar  Orion RTN-30X (MM/SPG-75) fire control radar - 2 x AN/SPG-51D fire control radars - Mk.13 single-arm launcher for RIM-66 Standard Missiles SM-1MR SAM  single- and twin launchers for Otomat/Teseo Mk.2 SSM and/or MILAS anti submarine missiles  an Aspide SAM was fired from the 8-cell Albatros launcher  flight deck and hangar for 2 helicopters  |
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Italian
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