Maestrale-class Frigate

The Maestrale-class is a class of frigate in the Marina Militare (Italian Navy). The class is composed of eight vessels, all of which were built by Fincantieri S.p. A, Riva Trigoso, except for Grecale, which was built by Fincantieri S.p.A. - Muggiano, La Spezia.

The Maestrale-class frigates were primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare, however the ships are highly flexible so they are also capable of anti-air and anti-surface operations. Ships of this class have been widely used in various international missions, either under NATO or UN flag, and during normal operations of the Italian Navy.

The first of these ships entered in service in early 1982. The rest of the fleet was launched over the next three years. The ships of the Maestrale-class are being replaced by the Bergamini-class. The first of the new class was commissioned in November 2012.

Specifications

 * Type: Multirole Frigate
 * Service Period: 1982-Present
 * Characteristics:
 * Length: 402 feet 7 inches (122.7 meters)
 * Beam: 42 feet 4 inches (12.9 meters)
 * Draught: 13 feet 10 inches (4.22 meters)
 * Displacement: 3,100 tons
 * Crew: 225 (24 officers and 201 sailors)
 * Propulsion: 2 x GE/Avio General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 2 x D Grandi Motori Trieste BL-230-20-DVM diesels, 2 x 5-blade propellers
 * Range: 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 km/h) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
 * Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
 * Sensor Suite:
 * 1 x RAN-10S/SPS-774 surface and air surveillance radar
 * 1 x SMA SPS-702 surface search radar
 * 1 x SMN SPS-703 navigation radar
 * 1 x SPG-75 fire control radar
 * 2 x SPG-74 fire control radar
 * Countermeasures:
 * 2 x SLQ-D jammers
 * 1 x ARBG-1A Saigon radio interceptor
 * 2 x 20-round SCLAR decoy RL
 * 1 x SLQ-25 Nixie towed acoustic torpedo system
 * 1 x SLR-4 Newton intercept
 * Prairie/Masker air-bubbler noise-suppression system
 * Armament:
 * 1 x Otobreda 127 mm gun
 * 1 x 8-cell Aspide SAM Launcher
 * 4 x TESEO Mk-2 anti-ship missiles launchers
 * 2 x Oto Melara Twin 40L70 DARDO CIWS
 * 2 x 533 mm torpedo tubes
 * 2 x 324 mm triple torpedo tubes
 * Aircraft Carried: 2 x AB-212 helicopters

Unit Run

 * ITS Maestrale (F570)
 * ITS Grecale (F571)
 * ITS Libeccio (F572)
 * ITS Scirocco (F573)
 * ITS Aliseo (F574)
 * ITS Euro (F575)
 * ITS Espero F576)
 * ITS Zeffiro (F577)