- Yes
- No
During trials
TL;DR:
Coastal vessel, Libyan missile boat, based on Brave-class with SS.12 missiles. Another one of Vosper-Thornycroft’s naval exports.
History:
The first missile boats built in the West, the Susa-class missile boats were based on the Danish Søløven-class torpedo boats, which in turn were based on the British Brave-class. They were made of wood (as opposed to the Brave’s aluminium), and used CODOG propulsion, being able to reach a top speed of 54 knots with its gas turbines. As the first missile boats in the West, they were armed with French SS.12M wire guided missiles and also had 2 Bofors guns. The design was a result of collaboration between Vospers and Nord-Aviation, who supplied the missiles, and additionally 2 other French companies who designed a new stabilized targeting sight for the missiles. The SS.12M had a range of 6 km and a speed of 210 m/s, and had a 30 kg warhead. The missile gunner sat in a stabilized seat forward of the bridge, which could rotate to each side in case the ship made manoeuvres while firing. The launcher was designed to only fire when the racks had an elevation of 9 degrees or more, and would automatically delay firing otherwise. The system could also fire the smaller SS.11M missile.
The 3 ships of the class were ordered in 1966 from Vospers, and were commissioned into the Libyan Navy in 1969 as their first fast attack craft. They were named Susa, Sirte, and Sokna. Like pretty much every early Libyan naval vessel they had literally nothing notable happen during their service life. In 1977 they were repaired and had new engines fitted in Italy. By 1995 they were mostly non-operational, and likely were scrapped sometime after.
Specifications: (1969)
Armament:
2x1 40mm Bofors L/60 Mk.9
2x4 SS.12M SSMDisplacement:
95 tons standard
114 tons fullLength: 30.5m
Beam: 7.8m
Draft: 2.1m
Propulsion: 3 Bristol Siddeley Proteus gas turbines and 2 General Motors 6-71 diesel engines, 12750 + 190hp, driving 3 shafts
Speed: 54 knots (100 km/h)
Range: 435 nmi
Crew: 20
Images:
Sources:
Gardiner, R., Chumbley, S., & Budzbon, P. (1995). Libya. In Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1947-1995 (p. 256). Naval Institute Press.
Sobański, M. (2011). Libijska Marynarka Wojenna. In Okręty Wojenne Vol. XVIII, Nr 108 (4/2011) (pp. 90-93).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/364317803471
This incomplete pdf I found about the Brave-class