Italian destroyer Audace (D 551)

	Audace in La Spezia on 9 November 2008.
History
Italy
Name	Audace
Namesake	Audace
Operator	Italian Navy
Builder	Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso shipyards
Laid down	17 April 1968
Launched	2 October 1971
Commissioned	16 November 1972
Decommissioned	28 September 2006
Identification	Pennant number: D 551
Fate	Scrapped in Aliaga Turkey 2018
General characteristics
Class and type	Audace-class destroyer
Displacement	4,554 tons full load
Length	140.7 m (461 ft 7 in)
Beam	14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
Draught	4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2-shaft geared steam turbines; 4 × Foster Wheeler boilers providing 73,000 hp (54,000 kW);
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement	380
Armament	As built:; 2 × Otobreda 127 mm gun; 4 × Oto Melara 76/62 mm Compact gun; 1 × Tartar SAM system; 2 × 324 mm triple torpedo launchers; 2 × 533 mm triple torpedo launchers; Post 1987–1990 modernization:; 1 × Otobreda 127 mm gun; 4 × Oto Melara 76/62 mm Super Rapido gun; 1 × Mk.29 octuple launcher for Sea Sparrow/Selenia Aspide SAM; 1 × Mk 13 launcher with 40 Standard SM-1MR missiles; 8 × OTOMAT SSMs; 2 × 324 mm triple torpedo launchers;
Aircraft carried	2 AB-212ASW helicopters

Audace (D 551) is the lead ship of the Audace-class destroyer of the Italian Navy.

Development[edit]

The design of these ships was related to the previous Impavido-class, but they were meant as a decisive improvement over these older vessels. They hull was more capable to resist high sea conditions, incorporating an aft superstructure used to accommodating two AB-212 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. This gave the vessels an ASW capability, with improved sonars and torpedo tubes.^[1]

The superstructures were built with aluminium alloys in two blocks with one mack (this is the combination with the funnels supporting metallic, short trees used for radar equipment) each. The distance between the two superstructure blocks was high, as both the propulsion systems were located at midships and over this, the 76 mm gun battery. The aft superstructure was dedicated to the Tartar/SM-1 missiles and hangar.^[2]

Due to its anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-ship characteristics, the Ardito was the most modern that had been conceived and built up to then in the field of military naval construction. type, entered service in December 1973.

Construction and career[edit]

She is laid down on 17 April 1968 and launched on 2 October 1971 by Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso. Commissioned on 16 November 1972 with the hull number D 551 and decommissioned on 28 September 2006.

Audace was the pride of the Navy in the 1970s, it served for 35 years until 2006, it was sent to Aliaga to be demolished on 7 May 2018.^[3]

Gallery[edit]

Audace being launched on 2 October 1971.
Decommissioned Ardito and Audace in La Spezia on 5 December 2009.
Decommissioned Audace transiting the Messina Strait by tug to Aliaga to be demolished and scrapped on 8 May 2018
Audace's flag on display on 21 November 2008.