Centauro class (1957)
 Centauro- class
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| Overview | |
| Type | Anti -submarine frigate |
| units | 4th |
| Order | 1950, 1953 |
| delivery | 1956 |
| period of service |
1957 to 1985 |
| Technical specifications | |
| displacement |
2,137 ts maximum |
| length |
103.1 m |
| width |
12.0 m |
| Draft |
3.8 m |
| crew |
235 |
| drive |
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| speed |
26 kn |
| Range |
3,020 nm at 12 kn |
| Armament |
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| Management electronics |
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The Centauro class , also known as the Canopo class , was a class of four frigates in the Italian Navy . The units built in two lots in the 1950s were mainly used for submarine hunting .
history
The Centauro-class ships were the first frigates built in Italy after the Second World War . They were originally used as escorts (avviso scorta) classified and resulted in the vessel's identity until 1957, a D for Destroyer or destroyer , then a F for frigate. It was built as part of the modernization program of 1950. In the absence of sufficient financial resources, the construction of the first two units was delayed considerably. The other two units were funded by the United States through the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP). Between 1966 and 1973 the four frigates in the La Spezia naval arsenal were modernized, particularly in the areas of armament and sensors. The ships were replaced by the Maestrale-class frigates by 1985 .
Ships of the class
The ships were named after four torpedo boats of the former Spica class , which had distinguished themselves in World War II.
| Identifier | Surname | Shipyard | Keel laying | Launch | Commissioning | Decommissioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D570 / F551 | Canopo | Cantieri Navali, Taranto | May 15, 1952 | February 20, 1955 | May 4th 1958 | September 30, 1982 |
| D571 / F554 | Centauro | Ansaldo , Livorno | 17th May 1952 | April 4th 1954 | April 4th 1957 | May 31, 1985 |
| D572 / F555 | Cigno | Cantieri Navali, Taranto | February 11, 1954 | March 14, 1955 | March 7, 1957 | October 31, 1983 |
| D573 / F553 | Castore | Cantieri Navali, Taranto | March 14, 1955 | July 8, 1956 | July 14, 1957 | January 1, 1983 |
The frigate Castore was badly damaged on the evening of March 22, 1965 south of Calabria when it collided with the landing ship Etna . Four crew members were killed on the Castore . The Castore sank off Civitavecchia on March 30, 2001 when she was about to be towed to Turkey for scrapping .
