Cassiopea-class

The Cassiopea class consists of four patrol vessels built for the Italian Navy to replace Albatros-class corvettes. Developed in the early 1980s concurrently with the Minerva-class, the design was intended for fisheries patrol and operations in non-combat areas. Funding for the program was provided by the Ministry of Merchant Marine, with authorization occurring in December 1982. Fincantieri received the construction orders in December 1986, and work commenced at the Muggiano shipyard in 1987. While eight units were originally planned, four were completed and two were cancelled in 1991.

The ships were built to mercantile standards. The primary gun and its associated fire control systems were repurposed from decommissioned Bergamini-class frigates. For aviation operations, the class includes a fixed hangar and flight deck capable of accommodating an Agusta-Bell AB-212 ASW helicopter. Each vessel also carries equipment for pollution response. Sensor suites were updated between 2012 and 2014 to include the Selex ES Janus-N infrared optronic system. Beginning in 2014, the units were fitted with Gemini-DB dual-band navigation radar systems.

The lead vessel, Cassiopea, entered service in 1989, followed by Spica, Vega, and Libra. In April 2025, the Italian Navy initiated the transfer of the Libra to the Albanian Naval Force. The vessel is designated for maritime defense and surveillance in Albanian service, with an estimated operational life of 15 years following a scheduled overhaul.