Итальяндық фрегаттар класы: Lupo және Soldati түрлері

Class of Italian frigates

The Lupo class is a class of frigates built by Cantieri Navali Riuniti (CNR) for the Italian Navy. Designed as multipurpose warships with an emphasis on anti surface warfare (ASuW), they have enjoyed some success in the export market, being acquired by the navies of Peru and Venezuela. A small run of a slightly updated version is known as the Soldati class.

In the early 1970s, the Italian Navy faced an increased Soviet naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea which constituted a threat to its sea lines of communication as well as to its extensive coastline. To parry this menace, Italy started a naval expansion program which included frigates focused on ASuW (Lupo class) and on ASW
For the first part of the requirement, CNR presented a design for a 2,500 ton frigate with a high speed and a heavy weapons load. The ship employed a CODOG propulsion plant to achieve 35 knots, making it one of the fastest warships at the time. Armament included 8 SSMs, 8 SAMs, several gun systems, 2 triple torpedo tubes and an ASW helicopter, which was equivalent to that carried by larger warships. Lupo class frigates have a crew of around 200.

The Italian Navy commissioned four Lupo class frigates between 1977 and 1980. These ships were deployed to the Persian Gulf first as escorts for tankers during the last stages of the Iran–Iraq War (1987–1988) and then as part of the Coalition forces during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. After these operations, the whole class underwent modernization which included fitting an SPS 702 CORA surface search radar and SATCOM equipment. After two decades in service, the four Italian Lupo class frigates were decommissioned and sold to Peru in the early 2000s. In 1996 four new Lupo class frigates which had been built for Iraq in 1985–87, were incorporated into the Italian Navy as the Artigliere class. These ships feature a telescopic hangar; they were refitted as patrol ships and changes made for Italian service included the removal of all ASW equipment. The four ships are Italian frigate Artigliere ("artilleryman" pennant F 582), Italian frigate Aviere ("airman" F 583), Italian frigate Bersagliere ("sharpshooter" F 584) and Italian frigate Granatiere ("grenadier" F 585), and are used in fleet escort or long range patrolling duties.

Peru became involved early in the Lupo class frigate program, ordering four ships in 1973. The Peruvian ships were built to a modified design which included different radars, Aspide instead of Sea Sparrow SAMs, and a fixed instead of a telescopic hangar. The first two were built by CNR at its shipyard in Riva Trigoso, Genoa, and commissioned in 1979. Construction work for the second pair was carried out under license by SIMA (Servicio Industrial de la Marina, Navy Industrial Service) at Callao, with the ships commissioning in 1984 and 1987. Of the Peruvian Lupos, (FM 51), (FM 54), (FM 52) and (now ) (FM 53) had their flight decks extended to allow ASH 3D Sea King helicopters to land and refuel, even though they cannot be housed in the ship's hangar. In November 2004 other ex Italian Lupo class vessels were incorporated into the Peruvian Navy: (FM 55) (ex Orsa) and (FM 56) (ex Lupo). Finally in August 2006 the last Italian Lupo ships arrived in Callao: (FM 58) and (FM 57). In 2013, Carvajal was transferred to the Peruvian Coast Guard and renamed Guardiamarina San Martin.

Carvajal class Pennant number Ship Builder Hullnumber Laid down Launched Commissioned FateFM 51 Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso3048 August 197417 November 19765 February 1979Transferred to Peruvian Coast Guard in 2013, renamed Guardiamarina San MartinFM 523056 October 19767 February 197825 June 1979Active in serviceFM 53 (later Almirante Grau)SIMA, CallaoOctober 19788 October 198225 July 1984Active in service. Renamed 2017FM 5419798 October 198410 October 1987Active in serviceex Italian Lupo classFM 55AguirreCantieri Navali Riuniti, Muggiano3031 August 19771 March 1979ex OrsaFM 56PalaciosCantieri Navali Riuniti, Riva Trigoso30011 October 197429 July 1976ex LupoFM 57Coronel Bolognesi30228 February 197712 July 1978ex PerseoFM 58Quiñones3014 February 197622 June 1977ex Sagittario