3. Introduction
• The Artigliere class light frigates, operational with the Italian Navy, were built by Fincantieri at
their Ancona and Riva Trigosa shipyards.
• They were initially built for Iraq, but delivery was cancelled following the United Nations
embargoes against Iraq in 1990.
• New weapons and communications systems were fitted to meet the requirements of the Italian
Navy. Marina Militare (MM) Artigliere (F582), MM Aviere (F583) and MM Granitiere (F585) built
at Ancona, were commissioned in 1994, 1995 and 1996.
• The third-of-class ship, MM Bersagliere (F584), commissioned in 1995, was built at the Riva
Trigosa shipyards in Genoa.
• The helicopter deck at the stern has a single landing spot for an Agusta Bell AB 212 helicopter.
4.
5. Command & Control
• The ship's combat data system is the Alenia Marconi Systems (now Selex
Sistemi Integrati) IPN 10 mini SADOC for evaluation of the tactical
situation, threat evaluation and prioritisation.
• The ship is equipped with a Link 11 and satellite communications and
telecommunications system from Elmer.
• The fire control system consists of two Selex NA-21 fire directors for the
missiles and the main gun and two Selex Dardo systems for the 40mm guns.
6.
7. Guns & Torpedos
• The ship's main gun installed on the bow deck is the Oto Melara 127mm gun
which fires 32kg rounds at a rate of 45 rounds/minute.
• The range of the gun is more than 15km against surface targets and 7km
against airborne targets.
• The ship is equipped with two ILAS 3 triple torpedo launchers from
Whitehead Alenia of Salvanio, Italy.
• The A244/S anti-submarine torpedoes use active, passive and mixed mode
homing to a target range of 7km.
8.
9. Countermeasures
• The ship's electronic warfare suite includes a radar warning system and
jammer supplied by Elettronica.
• The decoy system consists of two SCLAR 20 tube 105mm decoy launchers
supplied by Oto Melara.
• The SCLAR launcher deploys chaff, infrared decoys or illuminating flares in
confusion, distraction and seduction modes
10.
11. Sensors & Engines
• The ship's surface search radar is the Selex RAN 11 L/X and the navigation radar is the Selex SPN-
703, both operating at I band.
• The Selex RAN 10 S air search radar operates at E and F bands and has a range of 150km.
• The ship has four fire control radars. Two I and J band Selex SPG-70 fire control radars are long-range
(40km) systems for use with the NA 21 fire control system for the missiles and main gun. The Selex
SPG-74 short-range (15km) fire control radar is used for the Dardo and the 40mm guns. A Raytheon
DE 1160B hull-mounted, medium-frequency, active search-and-attack sonar is also fitted
• The ships are equipped with a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system.
• Two Fiat/GE LM 2500 gas turbine engines provide 50,000hp. Two GMT BL 230.20 M diesel engines
provide 10,000hp. The turbines provide a maximum speed of 36 knots and the diesel engines provide
a speed of 20 knots.