Andrea Doria-class

The Andrea Doria class consisted of helicopter cruisers built for the Italian Navy. Developed under the 1957-58 Naval Programme, these ships were the first cruiser designs produced for Italy after World War II. The class followed the Giuseppe Garibaldi and provided the design basis for the subsequent Vittorio Veneto class. Three units were planned; Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio were completed, while the Enrico Dandolo was canceled.

The design was intended for anti-submarine and anti-air warfare. The hull was derived from the Impavido class but featured an enlarged beam to accommodate a flight deck and hangar aft of the superstructure. The flight deck was cantilevered at the stern to provide space for helicopter operations. Propulsion was provided by geared steam turbines and boilers driving two shafts.

Armament included a surface-to-air missile system with a twin-arm launcher located forward and a battery of guns in single turrets positioned amidships. Anti-submarine systems included torpedo tubes and an embarked helicopter detachment. Although the design was intended to operate Sea King helicopters, the Italian Navy utilized Agusta-Bell AB 212 helicopters modified for anti-submarine warfare. Electronic systems included air search and navigation radars, sonar, and a fire control system for the gun battery.

Both ships entered service in 1964. Andrea Doria was modernized between 1976 and 1978, receiving updated surface-to-air missiles along with new air search radar and sonar. Caio Duilio was modified for a training role in 1980, replacing the San Giorgio as the fleet training vessel. This conversion involved removing the aft hangar to install classrooms and removing gun mounts. Both vessels were equipped with electronic warfare packages, including search radars and jammers, before being stricken from service in 1991.