Sparviero-class patrol boat

History

Italy

The Sparviero-class fast attack hydrofoil was designed in Italy by the Alinavi society, a consortium of the American company Boeing, the Italian government's naval research branch, and Carlo Rodriquez, a Messina-based builder of commercial hydrofoils, based on Boeing's for the United States Navy. A prototype, named Sparviero was ordered in 1970 for the Italian Navy, Sparviero was laid down by Alinavi in La Spezia in April 1971, was launched on 9 May 1973 and commissioned into Italian service on 15 July 1974.

The design used the Boeing Jetfoil system, with one hydrofoil forward and two aft, which folded out of the water when cruising. The boat was propelled at high speeds by a Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbine driving a water jet, while a diesel engine driving a retractable propeller powered the boat at low speeds. The hull and superstructure were constructed entirely of aluminium. As the design was intended for short-range, high speed operations, no sleeping accommodation was fitted. Armament consisted of two Otomat anti-ship missiles aft and a single Oto Melara 76 mm rapid-fire gun forward.

It was planned in 1974–1975 to order four more Sparviero-class hydrofoils, to be supplemented by at least two larger s, but plans for a NATO-wide standardisation on the Pegasus class were abandoned. When orders were finally placed in 1977, they were for six more Sparvieros (giving seven in total) and no Pegasus-class boats. The new boats, built by Fincantieri at Muggiano, entered service from 1982 to 1984, and differed from the prototype in having a more advanced installation for the Otomat missiles (using the Teseo control system) and having water injection fitted to the gas turbines.

The class proved to be underpowered, and it was hoped to re-engine them with more powerful (6394 bhp) Alison gas turbines, but these plans were later abandoned. All of the Italian boats have now been decommissioned.

Japan

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) selected a modified version of the Sparviero class as a replacement for its s. A license agreement was signed in 1991 to build up to 12 Sparvieros, with the first two approved in FY90 and both were laid down by Sumitomo in Uraga on 25 March 1991. An order for a third boat was delayed to help pay for Japan's contribution to the Gulf War, with it not being laid down until 1993. A request for a fourth boat under the FY 95 budget was rejected, and plans for further hydrofoils abandoned.

The Japanese chose different armament than used in the Italian boats, with up to four Type 90 Ship-to-Ship Missiles replacing the Otomats and a non-stabilised 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon replacing the larger Oto Melara gun. The main powerplant is a 5200 shp General Electric LM500 gas turbine.

Military use

Italian boats have all been decommissioned. The Sparviero class was used by the Japanese coastal patrol forces as a fast attack interceptor.

Ships in class

Italy

(All decommissioned)

Japan

(All currently decommissioned, but some may have been reactivated in 2014)

References

• Baker, A.D. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1998. .
• Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. .
• Moore, John. Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–86. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1985. .
• Prézelin, Bernard and Baker, A.D. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1990. .
• Saunders, Stephen (RN) Jane's Fighting Ships 2003-2004

References

1. Baker 1998, pp. 381–382.
2. Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 217.
3. Baker 1998, p. 382.
4. Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 196.
5. Moore 1985, p. 275.
6. Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 197.
7. Prézelin and Baker 1990, p. 280.
8. Baker 1998, pp. 427–428.