Minerva-class corvette

Urania at Malaga in 2001
Class overview
Name:	Minerva class
Builders:	Fincantieri
Operators:	Marina Militare Bangladesh Coast Guard
In commission:	1987
Completed:	8
Active:	5
Retired:	3
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 Sonar: Raytheon/Elsag DE-1167
Electronic warfare & decoys:	Fire control: 1 Selenia SPG-75 (RTN 30X) for Albatros and 76mm Communication: IPN-10 (Mini-SADOC), Link 11
Armament:	1 Otobreda 76 mm Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide in an 8-cell launcher 6 × 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-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

Name	Pennant number	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
Minerva	F 551	Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso	11 March 1985	3 April 1986	10 June 1987	Decommissioned 2015. Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard. Serving as CGS Syed Nazrul (PL 71).
Urania	F 552		4 April 1985	21 June 1986	1 June 1987	Active
Danaide	F 553	Fincantieri, Muggiano	26 June 1985	18 October 1986	9 September 1987	To be decommissioned 2016
Sfinge	F 554		2 September 1986	16 May 1987	13 February 1988	Active
Driade	F 555	Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso	18 March 1988	11 March 1989	19 April 1990	Active
Chimera	F 556	Fincantieri, Muggiano	21 December 1988	7 April 1990	15 January 1991	Active
Fenice	F 557		6 September 1988	9 September 1989	11 September 1990	Active
Sibilla	F 558	Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso	16 October 1989	15 September 1990	16 May 1991	Decommissioned 2015. Sold to Bangladesh Coast Guard. Serving as CGS Tajuddin (PL 72).