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Description: The project for a new class of destroyers with a stealth design was started in the nineties as joint venture between Italy and France, after both agreed on the need of new ships for replace older classes. Initially, UK was also part of the project, but they later left to make their own design (type 45, which in part is based on Horizon initial concepts). In the Italian navy, the Horizon class is called the Andrea Doria class or Orizzonte class and they were required for replace part of the old audace class of destroyers from the seventies. The first unit, Andrea Doria D553, was launched on October 15/2005, and entered service on December 22/2007. She took part in various NATO training operations and other anti-piracy operations like Ocean Shield. The second unit, Caio Duilio D554, was launched on October 23/2007, and she entered the Italian Navy in 2009. She took part in Nato training operations like Proud Manta in the Ionian Sea on February 17/2011, the Steadfast Jazz Training Operation in 2013 in the waters of northern Europe, and others. The class arsenal offer a quite large amout of different weapons, starting from the guns, wich happen to be 3x 76/62 mm Oto melara with the ability of use DART anty missile guided munitions and Vulcano anty ship/land gps guided munition. In the missile area, the ship is equipped with 48x vertical cells for the Aster family (aster 15, 30, 30 B1 ecc) and a total of 8x Otomat MK2 Block IV anty ship missiles. For anty submarine operations, this class feature a total of two triple torpedo launcher for the MU90 324 mm torpedo.
Specifications
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leght: 152.9 meters
width: 20.3 meters
drafth: 7.5 meters
Max speed: 29 knots
autonomy: 7000 mg
engine:CODOG on two controllable pitch propellers using: 2 GE LM-2500 gas turbines; 2 MAN Pielstick 12PA6 STC diesels
Crew: 194 people+32 optional
Aircaft and Helicopters: 2x SH 90 or 1x AW 101
Decoy Launching System (2 Launchers)
1x Combat Management System
2x Radar/EO Fire Control System
1x Torpedo Self Defence System (SLAT)
Various navigation and detection sistems
Weapons:
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3x 76/62 mm OTO Davide main gun
8x Otomat MK2 Block VI antiship missiles
6x A50 Sylver Aster with a total of 48 Aster 15,30 missiles + 16 optional cells
2x 25 mm OTO-Oerlikon remote control gun
2x 324 mm Eurotorp B515/3 torpedo launcher with MU 90 torpedo
Sources:
Pictures:
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Andrea Doria D553
76/62 mm OTO on the Andrea Doria D553
Caio Duilio D554
Caio Duilio D554