August 2003. The La Spezia. Photo by G. Prudnikov.

Country: Italy.
Class, [Type]: Audace, [DDG].
Homeport: La Spezia.

Callsign: IARU (     )

Builder: Riva Trigoso, Italy.
Launch date: 2 October 1971.
Commission date: 16 November 1972.
Decommission date: 28 September 2006.

Displacement ( tons ): 3600 standard, 4400 full load.
Dimensions ( metres ): 136,5 x 14,5 x 4,6.
Main machinery: 2 x geared turbines ( 73000 hp ).
Speed ( knots ): 33.
Range ( miles ): 5000 at 16 knots.
Complement: 380 ( 30 officers ).

Guns: 1 x 1 127mm OTO Melara Compact, 4 x 1 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid.
Missiles: SSM: 4 x 2 Teseo Mk2; SAM: 1 x 1 Mk13 launcher ( 40 Standard SM-1MR missiles ), 1 x 8 Albatros ( Aspide missiles ).
Torpedoes: 2 x 3 324mm Mk32.
Radars: Air: AN/SPS-52C; Air/Surface: AN/SPQ-2D, MM/SPS-774 ( RAN-10S ), MM/SPS-768 ( RAN-3L ); Navigation: MM/SPN-748; Fire Control: 3 x AN/SPG-76G ( RTX-30X ); 2 x AN/SPG-51C.
Sonars: CWE 610A.
Countermeasures: Decoys: 2 x 105mm SCLAR.
Helicopters: 2 x AB-212 ASW.

Year of visit the Black Sea:  1994 | 2001