Minerva-class corvette

Urania at Málaga in 2001
Class overview
Name:	Minerva class
Builders:	Fincantieri
Operators:	Marina Militare Bangladesh Coast Guard
In commission:	1987
Completed:	8
Active:	4
Laid up:	4
General characteristics
Type:	Corvette
Displacement:	1,285 tonnes
Length:	87 m (285 ft)
Beam:	10.5 m (34 ft)
Draught:	3.2–4.8 m (10–16 ft)
Propulsion:	2 Diesel Grandi Motori Trieste BM-230.20 DVM outputting 11.000 hp (8.203 kW)
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement:	7 officers, 113 men
Sensors and processing systems:	- AA/ASu-Radar Selenia SPS-774 (RAN 10S) E/F Band - 1 SMA SPS-728 Navigation radar - Fire control: 1 Selenia SPG-75 (RTN 30X) for Albatros and 76mm - Sonar: Raytheon/Elsag DE-1167 - Communication: IPN-10 (Mini-SADOC), Link 11 - ASW AN/SLQ-25 Nixie
Armament:	- 1 x OTO Melara 76/62 mm Compatto - 1 x Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide in an 8-cell launcher - 2 × triple 324mm TLS ASW torpedoes - 4 heavy machine guns

The Minerva class is a series of corvettes of the Italian Marina Militare. They were built in two series of four units in the 1980s and 1990s. The ships have fairly good speed and armament, including a 76mm general-purpose gun, but, due to their emphasis on anti-submarine warfare, they lack anti-ship missile capabilities. These units are designed to operate in coastal areas. Their main mission includes sea policing, patrol, fisheries protection and naval commando training.

Ships of the class

Marina Militare – Minerva class
Name	Pennant number	Builder[1]	Hull number	Laid Down[1]	Launched[1]	Commissioned[1]	Decommissioned[1]	Status
Minerva	F 551	Fincantieri Riva Trigoso (La Spezia)	923[2]	11 March 1985	3 April 1986	10 June 1987	2015	Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard Serving as CGS Syed Nazrul (PL71) since 3 August 2016
Urania	F 552		924	4 April 1985	21 June 1986	1 June 1987	10 March 2016	To be sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard Serving as CGS Mansoor Ali (PL73) since june 2017
Danaide	F 553	Fincantieri Muggiano (La Spezia)	925	26 June 1985	18 October 1986	9 September 1987	10 March 2016	To be sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard Serving as CGS Kamruzzaman (PL74) since june 2017
Sfinge	F 554		926	2 September 1986	16 May 1987	13 February 1988		Active
Driade	F 555	Fincantieri Riva Trigoso (La Spezia)	5850	18 March 1988	11 March 1989	19 April 1990		Active
Chimera	F 556	Fincantieri Muggiano (La Spezia)	5851	21 December 1988	7 April 1990	15 January 1991		Active
Fenice	F 557		5852	6 September 1988	9 September 1989	11 September 1990		Active
Sibilla	F 558	Fincantieri Riva Trigoso (La Spezia)	5853	16 October 1989	15 September 1990	16 May 1991	2015	Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard Serving as CGS Tajuddin (PL72) since 3 August 2016

Leader Class OPV

Four ships of this class, namely Minerva, Urania, Danaide and Sibilla, are sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard. These ships are reclassified as Leader Class OPV. Before delivery, they have gone through a major refit stage. All the weapon and sensor systems were removed from the ship in the refit stage. Instead, they were fitted one Oerlikon KBA 25mm gun and sensors required by coast guard. A helipad is also fitted at the rear side of the ships to accommodate a search and rescue helicopter.

Citations

1. Saunders 2002, p. 362.
2. http://www.gaioni.com/navy-ships/

References

• Saunders, Stephen (2002). Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0710624328.