Italian destroyer Caio Duilio (D554)
Encyclopedia
Caio Duilio is a destroyer
of the Italian Navy
. She and her sister Andrea Doria form the Doria class; in turn these two ships, and the French vessels Forbin
and Chevalier Paul
, belong to Horizon class.
ITS Caio Duilio is marked by hull number
D 554 according to NATO classification.
and admiral Gaius Duilius
(Caio Duilio in Italian). Duilius ordered the construction of 120 ships that were armed with hooked bridges called corvus
, Latin for “crow”. This innovation allowed the Romans to defeat the powerful enemy fleet of Carthage
transforming the naval battle into a melee combat.
After the victory over the Carthaginians at the Battle of Mylae
in 260 BC, Duilius was honored with a triumphal parade
and the erection in the Roman Forum of a column adorned with the beaks of captured Carthaginian warships; column that became his symbol and that appears today in the coat of arms
of the ship.
The destroyer Caio Duilio is the fourth Italian
warship named with this historical name. The first, the ironclad Caio Duilio
, was commissioned in 1886 and served until 1909. Fitted with the largest guns available, 100-ton 450 mm calibre muzzle-loading guns, she was regarded as the most powerful warship afloat in their day. The second unit, the Andrea Doria class
battleship
Caio Duilio
, was commissioned on 24 April 1913 and subsequently was refitted in 1937, serving in the Regia Marina
during World War I
and World War II
; while the third, the Andrea Doria class
missile cruiser Caio Duilio
, was commissioned in 1960 and served until 1990 during the Cold War.
ITS Caio Duilio was launched on October 23, 2007 and transported in Muggiano shipyard on October 29 for the mounting of the combat system.
Caio Duilios motto refers to the ancient Roman tradition, in which the name acquires religious connotations. Some ancient fragments point up this intimate meaning.
"Nomen Numen" can be translated as "the name means power".
ships Forbin
and Chevalier Paul
to a joint exercise which brought together the whole Horizon class
on May 5, 2009.
Caio Duilio was, along with the aircraft carrier Cavour and the training ship Amerigo Vespucci
, one of the Navy Units visitable in Civitavecchia
harbour on the Day of the Unification of Italy and the Armed Forces on November 4, 2009.
She participated in the naval parades for the celebrations of the Italian Navy Day in Naples on June 10, 2010 and in La Spezia on June 10, 2011, at the presence of President Giorgio Napolitano
.
During the development of many complex systems on board, and during the trials that led her many times in the Naval Station of Taranto
, she made her debut in the international arena during NATO exercise Proud Manta 2011 from February 4 to February 17, 2011, in the waters of the Ionian Sea
, even before the delivery of the Battle Ensign
(that took place in Gaeta
on September 22, 2011), working together with ships, submarines and aircraft of nine allied nations.
Nowadays ITS Caio Duilio is the only destroyer based in La Spezia
harbour, reporting directly to Commander in Chief of the Fleet and under the command of Captain
Liborio Francesco Palombella.
(the ship has many more capacity in this kind of warfare than the older destroyers) and short and medium defence range capabilities. She is also highly capable in anti-submarine
and anti-surface warfare
.
The ship has been designed to take and operate with Rotary wing aircraft (EH-101 and NH-90) of much higher performance and more autonomy than previous generation helicopters. The handling of wheeled helicopters on the flight deck
is guaranteed up to sea state 6 by the semi-automatic Canadian system TC-ASIST of Indal Technologies committing to these operations a single operator.
By type of ship and technology aboard ITS Caio Duilio is able to cover a broad spectrum of maritime activities, ranging from high-intensity military operations to Maritime Security operations. The missions that the unit can perform are:
The ship was designed to be as little detectable by radar as possible, by using stealth technology
for the hull
and superstructure
. Sea-keeping in unfavorable weather conditions is granted by two pairs of stabilizers
.
The acoustic signature
was also reduced with an appropriate choice of machinery and engineering solutions and verifying the intensity of the radiated noise, since the design phase. Equal attention has been directed in the infrared (IR) signature
branch, by lowering the temperature of engine gases through coaxial exhausts.
, an integrated type CMS (Command Management System) based on Linux OS was installed by EuroSysNav. This is provided with 10 redundant servers and 24 consoles named MFC (Multi Function Console), of which 19 are located in the Primary CIC (Combat Information Center
), 3 in the secondary CIC in a remote area from the primary CIC, 1 in the Admiral CIC (for staff at the level of CTF/CTG
, equipped with special command support systems) and 1 in the bridge for the officer of the watch.
With a MFC each operator, once logged in with own user name and password, can access to all relevant tactical data
to his role and has also the possibility to use some common features such as watching the video of camera
s or of the IR system, the weapons engagement plan, the situation of the hardware
and software subsystems, the flight orders or the weather situation. Web-browsing
allows a range of information going from messaging, data exchange with the Command Support System, the weather state and information pages of various kinds.
Once put the ships to escort and the relative priority in the CMS, the system automatically performs the control and the evaluation of dangerous of each air target, and suggests the possible engagement with missiles, artillery or jammers. The system can control up to 24 Aster missiles simultaneously in flight, providing to operators the kill assessment.
There is also a training module that, under the supervision of a "Exercise Director", allows to simulate complex tactical situations faithfully reproducing the capabilities of weapons and sensors on board and allowing you to place exercises were previously possible only with the ship actually at sea.
For the first time in the history of the Italian Navy a ship is provided with an autonomous meteorological and oceanographic
system (Metoc), capable of launching atmospheric balloons to make sonar
, optical sensors and radar
range prediction.
All subsystems, in integrated mode, operate directly managed by the CMS, but in case of battle damage can be managed locally, thus providing a combat Unity survival.
The DCNS Multi-link system, to be replaced in next future with Elsag Datamat M-DLP (Multi Data Link Processor), allows the simultaneous handling of multiple network links (with gateway
and forwarding functions) of Link 11, Link 16
type, on radio or on satellite
vector. These vectors, also for the voice comms, are fully integrated and managed by the CMS through the subsystem FICS (Fully Integrated Communications System) by Thales Communications
.
but it has its own dedicated consoles in the Operative Platform Office, in the two Security Control Posts (fore and aft), on the bridge and in every technical areas.
The unit's hull is divided into two vulnerability areas by a double bulkhead
and a cofferdam
to improve anti-fire and anti-flooding characteristics.
Each vulnerability area is in turn formed by two security zones divided into watertight compartments that provide buoyancy with three adjacent compartments flooded. Many systems, both of the platform than of the combat system, are duplicated so that each vulnerability area is independent by the other.
Most of the rooms are equipped with automatic fire and smoke detection systems. Moreover every room is equipped with sprinklers for water, for the additive F-500 (higher performance compared to the foam) or CO2 extinguisher systems. These, unlike the previous generation units, are activated remotely from Security Post by the PMS.
For what concerns CBRN (Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) warfare, there are a specially dedicated decontamination station, a series of new generation sensors for such hazards detection disseminated throughout the ship and an external prewashing facility.
The propulsion system consists of two controllable pitch propellers
, which can be coupled independently of each other, via gear couplings, with a diesel engine or a gas turbine in a typical CODOG configuration. The manoeuvrability is provided by a pair of rudders and an electric powered bow thruster.
The daily production of drinking water is 50 m³
thanks to 2 reverse osmosis
desalinators
.
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of the Italian Navy
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
. She and her sister Andrea Doria form the Doria class; in turn these two ships, and the French vessels Forbin
Forbin (D620)
The Forbin is a large anti-air destroyer of the French Navy, lead ship of the Horizon class. Her first task is protecting aircraft carriers, capital ships or civilian ships from supersonic missile attacks; her complement of medium-range anti-air missiles allows her to support the defences of...
and Chevalier Paul
Chevalier Paul (D621)
The Chevalier Paul is a Horizon class destroyer of the French Marine Nationale commissioned in June 2009. She is the third vessel of the French Navy named after the 17th century admiral Chevalier Paul....
, belong to Horizon class.
ITS Caio Duilio is marked by hull number
Hull number
Hull number is a serial identification number given to a boat or ship. A lower number implies an older vessel. The precise usage varies by country and type....
D 554 according to NATO classification.
Background
The ship takes her name from the 3rd century BC Roman leaderRoman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
and admiral Gaius Duilius
Gaius Duilius
Gaius Duilius was a Roman politician and admiral involved in the First Punic War.Not much is known about his family background or early career, since he was a novus homo, meaning not belonging to a traditional family of Roman aristocrats. He managed, nevertheless, to be elected consul for the year...
(Caio Duilio in Italian). Duilius ordered the construction of 120 ships that were armed with hooked bridges called corvus
Corvus (weapon)
The corvus or harpago was a Roman military boarding device used in naval warfare during the First Punic War against Carthage....
, Latin for “crow”. This innovation allowed the Romans to defeat the powerful enemy fleet of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
transforming the naval battle into a melee combat.
After the victory over the Carthaginians at the Battle of Mylae
Battle of Mylae
The Battle of Mylae took place in 260 BC during the First Punic War and was the first real naval battle between Carthage and the Roman Republic. This battle was key in the Roman victory of Mylae as well as Sicily itself...
in 260 BC, Duilius was honored with a triumphal parade
Roman triumph
The Roman triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the military achievement of an army commander who had won great military successes, or originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. In Republican...
and the erection in the Roman Forum of a column adorned with the beaks of captured Carthaginian warships; column that became his symbol and that appears today in the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the ship.
The destroyer Caio Duilio is the fourth Italian
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
warship named with this historical name. The first, the ironclad Caio Duilio
Italian ironclad Caio Duilio
Caio Duilio was the lead ship in a class of two ironclad battleships built in Italy for the Regia Marina in the 1870s. A revolutionary design fitted with the largest guns available, 100-ton 450 mm calibre muzzle-loading guns, she and her sister ship were regarded as the most powerful warships...
, was commissioned in 1886 and served until 1909. Fitted with the largest guns available, 100-ton 450 mm calibre muzzle-loading guns, she was regarded as the most powerful warship afloat in their day. The second unit, the Andrea Doria class
Andrea Doria class battleship
The Andrea Doria class was a class of dreadnought battleships of the Regia Marina . Only two were built, in the La Spezia and Castellammare shipyards, in Italy, between 1912 and 1915....
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Caio Duilio
Italian battleship Caio Duilio
Caio Duilio was an Italian that served in the Regia Marina during World War I and World War II. She was named after the Roman fleet commander Gaius Duilius. Caio Duilio was laid down on 24 February 1912 and after a year and two months of construction, she was launched on 24 April 1913...
, was commissioned on 24 April 1913 and subsequently was refitted in 1937, serving in the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; while the third, the Andrea Doria class
Andrea Doria class cruiser
The Andrea Doria was a class of helicopter cruisers of the Marina Militare. They were Italy's first major new designs of the post–World War II era. These ships were primarily designed for ASW tasks.-History:...
missile cruiser Caio Duilio
Italian cruiser Caio Duilio (C554)
Caio Duilio was an helicopter cruiser of the Marina Militare. Built by Navalmeccanica at Castellammare di Stabia, it was named after the Roman consul Gaius Duilius.Laid down in 1958, the ship was launched in 1962, and commissioned in 1964....
, was commissioned in 1960 and served until 1990 during the Cold War.
ITS Caio Duilio was launched on October 23, 2007 and transported in Muggiano shipyard on October 29 for the mounting of the combat system.
Caio Duilios motto refers to the ancient Roman tradition, in which the name acquires religious connotations. Some ancient fragments point up this intimate meaning.
"Nomen Numen" can be translated as "the name means power".
Career
On February 12, 2008 she made the first sea trial and, after the admission into military fleet which took place on April 3, 2009, in Gulf of La Spezia she took part, together with ITS Andrea Doria and FrenchFrench Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
ships Forbin
Forbin (D620)
The Forbin is a large anti-air destroyer of the French Navy, lead ship of the Horizon class. Her first task is protecting aircraft carriers, capital ships or civilian ships from supersonic missile attacks; her complement of medium-range anti-air missiles allows her to support the defences of...
and Chevalier Paul
Chevalier Paul (D621)
The Chevalier Paul is a Horizon class destroyer of the French Marine Nationale commissioned in June 2009. She is the third vessel of the French Navy named after the 17th century admiral Chevalier Paul....
to a joint exercise which brought together the whole Horizon class
Horizon class frigate
The Horizon Common New Generation Frigate is a multi-national collaboration to produce a new generation of anti-air warfare frigates. Originally an alliance of Britain, France and Italy, the project is now a French/Italian effort following the withdrawal of Britain due to differing requirements...
on May 5, 2009.
Caio Duilio was, along with the aircraft carrier Cavour and the training ship Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci (ship)
The Amerigo Vespucci is a tall ship of the Marina Militare, named after the explorer Amerigo Vespucci. Its home port is Livorno, Italy; It is still in use as a school ship....
, one of the Navy Units visitable in Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
harbour on the Day of the Unification of Italy and the Armed Forces on November 4, 2009.
She participated in the naval parades for the celebrations of the Italian Navy Day in Naples on June 10, 2010 and in La Spezia on June 10, 2011, at the presence of President Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to...
.
During the development of many complex systems on board, and during the trials that led her many times in the Naval Station of Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, she made her debut in the international arena during NATO exercise Proud Manta 2011 from February 4 to February 17, 2011, in the waters of the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
, even before the delivery of the Battle Ensign
Battle ensign
A battle ensign is the name given to a large war flag which is flown on a warship's mast just before going into battle.The flag identified the allegiance of the ship in what could be a very confusing situation, with thick clouds of gunsmoke obscuring the ships in action, hence the large size of...
(that took place in Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
on September 22, 2011), working together with ships, submarines and aircraft of nine allied nations.
Nowadays ITS Caio Duilio is the only destroyer based in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
harbour, reporting directly to Commander in Chief of the Fleet and under the command of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Liborio Francesco Palombella.
Commander officers
| Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|
| CV Daniele Dotti | April 3, 2009 | September 19, 2010 |
| CV Paolo Pezzutti | September 20, 2010 | September 26, 2011 |
| CV Liborio Francesco Palombella | September 27, 2011 | In office |
Description
Caio Duilio is a multirole ship, with a bias towards anti-aircraft warfareAnti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
(the ship has many more capacity in this kind of warfare than the older destroyers) and short and medium defence range capabilities. She is also highly capable in anti-submarine
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
and anti-surface warfare
Anti-Surface Warfare
Anti-surface warfare is a type of naval warfare directed against surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's surface ships....
.
The ship has been designed to take and operate with Rotary wing aircraft (EH-101 and NH-90) of much higher performance and more autonomy than previous generation helicopters. The handling of wheeled helicopters on the flight deck
Helicopter deck
A helicopter deck is a helicopter pad on the deck of a ship, usually located on the stern and always clear of obstacles that would prove hazardous to a helicopter landing...
is guaranteed up to sea state 6 by the semi-automatic Canadian system TC-ASIST of Indal Technologies committing to these operations a single operator.
By type of ship and technology aboard ITS Caio Duilio is able to cover a broad spectrum of maritime activities, ranging from high-intensity military operations to Maritime Security operations. The missions that the unit can perform are:
- Escort role in an aircraft carrier battle group or naval convoy;
- Command and control of joint and combined maritime operationsCombined operationsIn military use, combined operations , also known as joint operations, or interoperability capability, are either operations conducted by forces of two or more allied nations acting together for the accomplishment of a common strategy, a strategic and operational and sometimes tactical cooperation...
in all forms of aeronaval warfare; - Naval Command in support or integrated in the National Air Defense organization;
- Relief operations in case of natural disasters, crisis response and humanitarian operations;
- Counter-piracy operations.
The ship was designed to be as little detectable by radar as possible, by using stealth technology
Stealth technology
Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...
for the hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
and superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
. Sea-keeping in unfavorable weather conditions is granted by two pairs of stabilizers
Stabilizer (ship)
Ship stabilizers are fins mounted beneath the waterline and emerging laterally. In contemporary vessels, they may be gyroscopically controlled active fins, which have the capacity to change their angle of attack to counteract roll caused by wind or waves acting on the ship.The bilge keel is an...
.
The acoustic signature
Acoustic signature
Acoustic signature is used to describe a combination of acoustic emissions of ships and submarines.-Contributing factors:The acoustic signature is made up of a number of individual elements...
was also reduced with an appropriate choice of machinery and engineering solutions and verifying the intensity of the radiated noise, since the design phase. Equal attention has been directed in the infrared (IR) signature
Infrared signature
The term infrared signature is used by defense scientists and the military to describe the appearance of objects to infrared sensors. An infrared signature depends on many factors, including the shape and size of the object, temperature and emissivity, reflection of external sources from the...
branch, by lowering the temperature of engine gases through coaxial exhausts.
Combat system
After the abandonment of the old system of command and control SADOC, which is used in the latest modernized version in the De la Penne class and Maestrale classMaestrale class frigate
The Maestrale class is a class of frigate in the Marina Militare . The class is composed of eight vessels, all of which were built by Fincantieri S.p. A, Riva Trigoso, except for Grecale, which was built by Fincantieri S.p.A...
, an integrated type CMS (Command Management System) based on Linux OS was installed by EuroSysNav. This is provided with 10 redundant servers and 24 consoles named MFC (Multi Function Console), of which 19 are located in the Primary CIC (Combat Information Center
Combat Information Center
The Operations Room is the tactical center of a warship or AWAC aircraft providing processed information for command and control of the near battle space or 'area of operations'...
), 3 in the secondary CIC in a remote area from the primary CIC, 1 in the Admiral CIC (for staff at the level of CTF/CTG
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
, equipped with special command support systems) and 1 in the bridge for the officer of the watch.
With a MFC each operator, once logged in with own user name and password, can access to all relevant tactical data
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
to his role and has also the possibility to use some common features such as watching the video of camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s or of the IR system, the weapons engagement plan, the situation of the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
and software subsystems, the flight orders or the weather situation. Web-browsing
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
allows a range of information going from messaging, data exchange with the Command Support System, the weather state and information pages of various kinds.
Once put the ships to escort and the relative priority in the CMS, the system automatically performs the control and the evaluation of dangerous of each air target, and suggests the possible engagement with missiles, artillery or jammers. The system can control up to 24 Aster missiles simultaneously in flight, providing to operators the kill assessment.
There is also a training module that, under the supervision of a "Exercise Director", allows to simulate complex tactical situations faithfully reproducing the capabilities of weapons and sensors on board and allowing you to place exercises were previously possible only with the ship actually at sea.
For the first time in the history of the Italian Navy a ship is provided with an autonomous meteorological and oceanographic
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
system (Metoc), capable of launching atmospheric balloons to make sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
, optical sensors and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
range prediction.
All subsystems, in integrated mode, operate directly managed by the CMS, but in case of battle damage can be managed locally, thus providing a combat Unity survival.
The DCNS Multi-link system, to be replaced in next future with Elsag Datamat M-DLP (Multi Data Link Processor), allows the simultaneous handling of multiple network links (with gateway
Gateway (telecommunications)
In telecommunications, the term gateway has the following meaning:*In a communications network, a network node equipped for interfacing with another network that uses different protocols....
and forwarding functions) of Link 11, Link 16
Link 16
Link 16 is a military tactical data exchange network created and used by the United States and adopted by some of its Allies and by NATO. Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links....
type, on radio or on satellite
SICRAL 1B
SICRAL 1B is a communications satellite built by Thales Alenia Space. It is a dual-use spacecraft: Telespazio will use some of the satellite's transmission capacity and some will be used by the Italian defense ministry and NATO. The spacecraft is based on the Italsat 3000 bus and includes one...
vector. These vectors, also for the voice comms, are fully integrated and managed by the CMS through the subsystem FICS (Fully Integrated Communications System) by Thales Communications
Thales Communications
Thales Communications Inc., a subsidiary of the Thales Group, is a leading manufacturer of tactical communications equipment, including the MBITR and JEM, currently fielded with the US Army and NATO forces worldwide. It is currently involved in the Joint Tactical Radio System program, fielding its...
.
Platform
The Platform Management System (PMS), designed by DCNS, allows to command and monitor machinery, electrical equipment, auxiliary services and security services. The entire system can be managed by a simple laptopLaptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
but it has its own dedicated consoles in the Operative Platform Office, in the two Security Control Posts (fore and aft), on the bridge and in every technical areas.
The unit's hull is divided into two vulnerability areas by a double bulkhead
Bulkhead
Bulkhead may refer to:* Bulkhead, a compartment of a building for preventing spread of fires, see Compartmentalization * Bulkhead , a retaining wall used as a form of coastal management, akin to a seawall, or as a structural device such as a bulkhead partition* Bulkhead , a wall within the hull of...
and a cofferdam
Cofferdam
A cofferdam is a temporary enclosure built within, or in pairs across, a body of water and constructed to allow the enclosed area to be pumped out, creating a dry work environment for the major work to proceed...
to improve anti-fire and anti-flooding characteristics.
Each vulnerability area is in turn formed by two security zones divided into watertight compartments that provide buoyancy with three adjacent compartments flooded. Many systems, both of the platform than of the combat system, are duplicated so that each vulnerability area is independent by the other.
Most of the rooms are equipped with automatic fire and smoke detection systems. Moreover every room is equipped with sprinklers for water, for the additive F-500 (higher performance compared to the foam) or CO2 extinguisher systems. These, unlike the previous generation units, are activated remotely from Security Post by the PMS.
For what concerns CBRN (Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) warfare, there are a specially dedicated decontamination station, a series of new generation sensors for such hazards detection disseminated throughout the ship and an external prewashing facility.
The propulsion system consists of two controllable pitch propellers
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
, which can be coupled independently of each other, via gear couplings, with a diesel engine or a gas turbine in a typical CODOG configuration. The manoeuvrability is provided by a pair of rudders and an electric powered bow thruster.
The daily production of drinking water is 50 m³
Cubic metre
The cubic metre is the SI derived unit of volume. It is the volume of a cube with edges one metre in length. An alternative name, which allowed a different usage with metric prefixes, was the stère...
thanks to 2 reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a membrane technical filtration method that removes many types of large molecules and ions from solutions by applying pressure to the solution when it is on one side of a selective membrane. The result is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and...
desalinators
Desalination
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water...
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