NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Nibbio 1980

Ships

Names	Builders	Completed	Losses	Transfers	Discarding
P420 Sparviero P421 Nibbio P422 Falcone P423 Astore P424 Grifone P425 Gheppio P426 Condor	Alinavi, La Spezia: P420 Fincantieri, Muggiano: P421-426	7/1974: P420 3/1980: P421 3/1982: P422 2/1983: P423, 424 9/1983: P425 4/1984: P426	none	none	9/1991: P420 2/1998: P421 8/2005: P422-426

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement full, t	63
Length, m	23.0 hull 24.6 hullborne
Breadth, m	12.1 foils 7.00 hull
Draught, m	1.50 hull 4.40 foils extended
No of shafts	1 + 1 waterjet
Machinery	CODOG: 1 General Motors 6V-53N diesel (1 shaft) / 1 Rolls-Royce Proteus 15M560 gas turbine (1 waterjet)
Power, h. p.	165 / 5000
Max speed, kts	40
Fuel, t	diesel / gas turbine oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	1200(8) or 400(40)
Armament	P420: 2 x 1 Otomat SSM (2 Otomat), 1 x 1 - 76/62 OTO-Melara Compact P421-426: 2 x 1 Teseo Mk 2 SSM (2 Otomat Mk 2), 1 x 1 - 76/62 OTO-Melara Compact
Electronic equipment	SPQ-701, RTN-10X radars
Complement	10

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Development of conventional Italian patrol boats ceased in 1964 when a consortium of the Italian Government's research branch, Carlo Rodriguez, which built commercial hydrofoils - and the American firm of Boeing, which was building its first jetfoil, came into existence. This consortium, Alinave, designed a small hydrofoil for the Italian Navy based on Boeing's Tucumcari. The prototype, Sparviero (P 420), was built during 1971 -74, but no more were built until 1977. Six more were completed during 1980-83. Spaniew has a single-cell launcher whereas the later boats use the Teseo system.

They utilized the Boeing jetfoil system, with one foil forward and two aft. Foilborne power came from a Proteus gas turbine driving a waterjet, while hullborne power consisted of a GM diesel. The boats were built entirely of aluminum. A much larger NATO hydrofoil based on this foil system proved too expensive; it was adopted only by the US Navy (as the PHM).

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

No significant events.