Durand de la Penne-class

The Durand de la Penne class consists of two guided-missile destroyers operated by the Italian Navy. Developed in the 1980s as an enlarged version of the Audace class, the project was initially designated the Animoso class. Fincantieri constructed the vessels at the Riva Trigoso shipyard. While the Italian Navy originally planned for four units, the final two were canceled when Italy joined the Horizon project. The class is named after a World War II naval diver who served in the Italian Royal Navy.

The hull and superstructure are constructed primarily of steel to improve fire resistance over the aluminum alloys used in previous Italian destroyer designs. The design features a continuous deck with a pointed bow and a stern configured for aviation facilities. Survivability measures include internal bulkheads, NBC protection, and duplicated computer and communication lines. Design elements were included to reduce radar cross-section, heat, noise, and magnetic signatures. Propulsion uses a CODOG arrangement with two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines and two GMT diesel engines.

Armament is distributed across the foredeck and aft superstructure. Air defense systems consist of a Mk 13 launcher for Standard SM-1MR missiles, an Albatross octuple launcher for Aspide missiles, and four guns: one 127mm Otobreda and three 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapido mounts. Anti-ship capabilities are provided by Otomat Mk2 missiles, while anti-submarine systems include Milas missiles and two triple torpedo launchers. The electronic suite includes 11 radar systems, such as the SPS-52C 3D and SPS-768, managed by the SADOC-2 combat system. The double hangar was designed for two AB-212 helicopters, with later modifications providing compatibility for NH90 or EH101 aircraft.

Luigi Durand de la Penne entered service in March 1993, and Francesco Mimbelli followed in October 1993. The class provided area air defense for the Italian fleet and served as command ships for international deployments, including peacekeeping operations in Lebanon. Luigi Durand de la Penne was decommissioned on October 1, 2024. Service updates include the integration of MU-90 torpedoes and the adoption of Vulcano, Davide, and DART guided munitions for the gun systems.