Minerva-class corvette

The Minerva class is a series of corvettes of the Italian Navy. They were built in two batches of four units during the 1980s and 1990s. The ships have fairly good speed and armament, including a 76 mm general-purpose gun, but, due to their emphasis on anti-submarine warfare, they lack anti-ship missile capabilities. These units are designed to operate in coastal areas. Their main missions include sea policing, patrol, fisheries protection, and naval commando training.

Urania at Málaga in 2001
Class overview
Name: Minerva class
Builders: Fincantieri
Operators:
In commission: 1987
Completed: 8
Active: 4
Laid up: 4
General characteristics
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 1.285 t (1.265 long tons) full load
Length: 87 m (285 ft) LOA
Beam: 10.5 m (34 ft)
Draught: 3.2–4.8 m (10–16 ft)
Depth: 5.5 m (18 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range: 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement: 7 officers, 113 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • - 1 x Selenia AA/ASu-Radar SPS-774 (RAN 10S) E/F Band
  • - 1 x SMA SPS-728 Navigation radar
  • - 1 x Selenia Fire control SPG-75 (RTN 30X) for Albatros and 76mm
  • - 1 x Sonar Raythron/Elsag DE-1167
  • - CMS Selenia IPN-10 (Mini-SADOC), Link 11
  • - ASW AN/SLQ-25 Nixie
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • - ESM/ECM Selenia SLQ-747 (INS-3)
  • - 2 x Wallop Defence Systems Barricade decoy launchers
Armament:
  • - 1 x OTO Melara 76 mm/62 Compatto
  • - 1 x Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide in an 8-cell launcher
  • - 2 × triple 324 mm TLS ASW torpedoes
  • - 4 heavy machine guns

Ships of the class
Leader Class OPV Bangladesh Coast Guard.
 Italian Navy – Minerva class
Name Pennant
number		 Builder[1] Hull
number		 Laid Down[1] Launched[1] Commissioned[1] Decommissioned[1] Status
Minerva F 551 Fincantieri
Riva Trigoso
(La Spezia)		 923[2] 11 March 1985 3 April 1986 10 June 1987 14 May 2015 Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard
Serving as CGS Syed Nazrul (PL71)
since 3 August 2016
Urania F 552 924 4 April 1985 21 June 1986 1 June 1987 10 March 2016 Sold to
Bangladesh Coast Guard
Serving as CGS Mansoor Ali (PL73)
since June 2017
Danaide F 553 Fincantieri
Muggiano
(La Spezia)		 925 26 June 1985 18 October 1986 9 September 1987 10 March 2016 Sold to
Bangladesh Coast Guard
Serving as CGS Kamruzzaman (PL74)
since June 2017
Sfinge F 554 926 2 September 1986 16 May 1987 13 February 1988 29 May 2017 Stricken, awaiting disposal
Driade F 555 Fincantieri
Riva Trigoso
(La Spezia)		 5850 18 March 1988 11 March 1989 19 April 1990 25 September 2019 Stricken awaiting disposal
Chimera F 556 Fincantieri
Muggiano
(La Spezia)		 5851 21 December 1988 7 April 1990 15 January 1991 25 September 2019 Stricken, awaiting disposal
Fenice F 557 5852 6 September 1988 9 September 1989 11 September 1990 29 May 2017 Stricken, awaiting disposal
Sibilla F 558 Fincantieri
Riva Trigoso
(La Spezia)		 5853 16 October 1989 15 September 1990 16 May 1991 14 May 2015 Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard
Serving as CGS Tajuddin (PL72)
since 3 August 2016

Leader-class offshore patrol vessel

Four ships of this class, namely Minerva, Urania, Danaide and Sibilla, were sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard. These ships were reclassified as Leader-class offshore patrol vessels. Before delivery, each ship's weapons and sensor systems were removed and replaced with one Oerlikon KBA 25 mm gun and modern sensors appropriate to coast guard roles. A helipad was added at the stern of each ship to accommodate a search and rescue helicopter.

Citations
  1. Saunders 2002, p. 362.
  2. http://www.gaioni.com/navy-ships/

References
  • Saunders, Stephen (2002). Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0710624328.
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