NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Francesco Mimbelli 2003  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
Luigi Durand de la Penne (ex-Animoso)	D560		Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso	20.1.1988	29.10.1989	18.3.1993	in service (2019)
Francesco Mimbelli (ex-Ardimentoso)	D561		Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso	3.12.1989	13.4.1991	19.10.1993	in service (2019)

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	4500
Displacement full, t	5400
Length, m	135.6 pp 147.7 oa
Breadth, m	15.0 wl 16.1 oa
Draught, m	5.10 hull 6.80 over sonar 7.10 over propellers
No of shafts	2
Machinery	CODOG: 2 General Electric-Fiat LM-2500 gas turbines / 2 GMT BL230-20 DVM diesels
Power, h. p.	55000 / 12600
Max speed, kts	32
Fuel, t	diesel / gas turbine oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	7000(18)
Armament	4 x 2 Teseo Mk 2 SSM (8 Otomat Mk 2), 1 x 1 Standard SM-1MR SAM (40 RIM-66), 1 x 8 Albatros SAM (16 Aspide), 1 x 1 -127/54 OTO-Melara Compact, 3 x 1 - 76/62 OTO-Melara Compact SR, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 2 x 3 - 324 Ilas 3 TT, 2 helicopters (2 AB-212ASW or 1 SH-3D)
Electronic equipment	SPN-748, SPN-703, SPS-702, SPS-774, SPS-768, SPS-52C, 2x SPG-51D, 3x SPG-76 radars, DE-1164, DE-1167 sonars, SLQ-732 Nettuno, SLQ-705 ECM suites, 2x Sagaie decoy RL, SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy, SADOC-2 (IPN-20) CCS
Complement	377

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These destroyers were ordered in March 1986 to replace the old Impavido class. Originally named Animoso and Ardimentoso, they were renamed in 1992 to honour Second World War heroes. Their 127mm guns came from the 'B' positions of the modernized Audace class, which then carry a similar armament. The 76mm guns, Aspide missiles and four SPG-76 directors form an integrated close-in defensive system. The helicopter deck is large enough to accommodate the planned two EH-101 as well as the one large SH-3D.

A second pair was cancelled when Italy joined die Anglo-French 'Horizon' frigate programme. Four such ships were to have replaced the Audace class and the stricken Andrea Doria class cruisers. However, in December 1993 the second pair were cancelled to provide money to buy the four existing Lupo class frigates already built for Iraq.

Modernizations

2009, Francesco Mimbelli; 2012, Luigi Durand de la Penne: - 4 x 2 Teseo Mk 2 SSM (8 Otomat Mk 2), (2 AB-212 or 1 SH-3D) helicopters, SPN-748, SPN-703, SPS-768, SPS-774, SPS-52C radars, 2x Sagaie decoy RL; + 4 x 2 Teseo Mk 2A SSM (8 Otomat Mk 2A), Milas ASuM instead of part of Otomat Mk 2 SSM, 2 AW-101 helicopters, SPN-753, SPS-798, SPS-794 radars, IRST e/o detector, 2x SCLAR-H decoy RL

Naval service

No significant events.