Italian destroyer Audace (D 551)

Audace (D 551) is the lead ship of the Audace-class destroyer of the Italian Navy.

For other ships with the same name, see Italian destroyer Audace.
Audace in La Spezia on 9 November 2008.
History
Italy
NameAudace
NamesakeAudace
OperatorItalian Navy
BuilderCantiere navale di Riva Trigoso shipyards
Laid down17 April 1968
Launched2 October 1971
Commissioned16 November 1972
Decommissioned28 September 2006
IdentificationPennant number: D 551
FateScrapped in Aliaga Turkey 2018
General characteristics
Class and typeAudace-class destroyer
Displacement4,554 tons full load
Length140.7 m (461 ft 7 in)
Beam14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
Draught4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 2-shaft geared steam turbines
  • 4 × Foster Wheeler boilers providing 73,000 hp (54,000 kW)
Speed33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement380
Armament
Aircraft carried2 AB-212ASW helicopters

Development

The design of these ships was related to the previous Impavido-class, but they were meant as a decisive improvement over these older vessels. They hull was more capable to resist high sea conditions, incorporating an aft superstructure used to accommodating two AB-212 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. This gave the vessels an ASW capability, with improved sonars and torpedo tubes.[1]

The superstructures were built with aluminium alloys in two blocks with one mack (this is the combination with the funnels supporting metallic, short trees used for radar equipment) each. The distance between the two superstructure blocks was high, as both the propulsion systems were located at midships and over this, the 76 mm gun battery. The aft superstructure was dedicated to the Tartar/SM-1 missiles and hangar.[2]

Due to its anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-ship characteristics, the Ardito was the most modern that had been conceived and built up to then in the field of military naval construction. type, entered service in December 1973.

Construction and career

She is laid down on 17 April 1968 and launched on 2 October 1971 by Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso. Commissioned on 16 November 1972 with the hull number D 551 and decommissioned on 28 September 2006.

Audace was the pride of the Navy in the 1970s, it served for 35 years until 2006, it was sent to Aliaga to be demolished on 7 May 2018.[3]

  • Audace being launched on 2 October 1971.
    Audace being launched on 2 October 1971.
  • Decommissioned Ardito and Audace in La Spezia on 5 December 2009.
    Decommissioned Ardito and Audace in La Spezia on 5 December 2009.
  • Decommissioned Audace transiting the Messina Strait by tug to Aliaga to be demolished and scrapped on 8 May 2018
    Decommissioned Audace transiting the Messina Strait by tug to Aliaga to be demolished and scrapped on 8 May 2018
  • Audace's flag on display on 21 November 2008.
    Audace's flag on display on 21 November 2008.

References
  1. "Audace class Guided-Missile Destroyer". Helis.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  2. "Audace Class Guided-Missile Destroyer | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  3. "Da Castellammare alla Turchia: così finisce l'Ardito, gloria della Marina italiana". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
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