The Sparviero class, also known as the Nibbio class, are small hydrofoil missile boats capable of traveling at speeds of . They were designed for and formerly used by the Italian Navy. The Japanese 1-go-class missile boat is an updated version formerly used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

History

Italy The Sparviero-class fast attack hydrofoil was designed in Italy by the Alinavi society, a consortium of the American company Boeing, the Italian government's naval research branch, and Carlo Rodriquez, a Messina-based builder of commercial hydrofoils, based on Boeing's for the United States Navy.Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 217.Baker 1998, p. 382. A prototype, named Sparviero was ordered in 1970 for the Italian Navy,Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 196. Sparviero was laid down by Alinavi in La Spezia in April 1971, was launched on 9 May 1973 and commissioned into Italian service on 15 July 1974.Moore 1985, p. 275.

The design used the Boeing Jetfoil system, with one hydrofoil forward and two aft, which folded out of the water when cruising. The boat was propelled at high speeds by a Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbine driving a water jet, while a diesel engine driving a retractable propeller powered the boat at low speeds. The hull and superstructure were constructed entirely of aluminium. As the design was intended for short-range, high speed operations, no sleeping accommodation was fitted. Armament consisted of two Otomat anti-ship missiles aft and a single Oto Melara rapid-fire gun forward.

It was planned in 1974–1975 to order four more Sparviero-class hydrofoils, to be supplemented by at least two larger s, but plans for a NATO-wide standardisation on the Pegasus class were abandoned. When orders were finally placed in 1977, they were for six more Sparvieros (giving seven in total) and no Pegasus-class boats.Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 197. The new boats, built by Fincantieri at Muggiano, entered service from 1982 to 1984, and differed from the prototype in having a more advanced installation for the Otomat missiles (using the Teseo control system) and having water injection fitted to the gas turbines.

The class proved to be underpowered, and it was hoped to re-engine them with more powerful () Alison gas turbines, but these plans were later abandoned. All of the Italian boats were decommissioned between 1991 and 1999. Only one of them remains, Grifone, which is preserved as a museum ship in Venice.

Japan The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) selected a modified version of the Sparviero class as a replacement for its s. A license agreement was signed in 1991 to build up to 12 Sparvieros, with the first two approved in FY90 and both were laid down by Sumitomo in Uraga on 25 March 1991. An order for a third boat was delayed to help pay for Japan's contribution to the Gulf War, with it not being laid down until 1993. A request for a fourth boat under the FY 95 budget was rejected, and plans for further hydrofoils abandoned.

The Japanese chose different armament than used in the Italian boats, with up to four Type 90 Ship-to-Ship Missiles replacing the Otomats and a non-stabilised M61 Vulcan rotary cannon replacing the larger Oto Melara gun. The main powerplant is a General Electric LM500 gas turbine.

Military use Italian boats have all been decommissioned. The Sparviero class was used by the Japanese coastal patrol forces as a fast attack interceptor.

Ships in class Italy (All decommissioned) Number Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned NotesSparviero P 420 April 1971Prézelin and Baker 1990, p. 280. 9 May 1973 15 July 1974 30 September 1991Nibbio P 421 1 August 1977 29 February 1980 7 March 1980 10 October 1996Falcone P 422 1 October 1977 27 October 1980 7 March 1982 1990s Astore P 423 1 July 1978 20 July 1981 5 February 1983 1990s Grifone P 424 15 November 1978 1 December 1981 5 February 1983 1990s Preserved in VeniceGheppio P 425 16 May 1979 24 June 1982 20 September 1983 1990s Sold into private hands, assumed scrapped late 2000sCondor P 426 21 March 1980 25 January 1983 7 April 1984 1990s

Japan (All currently decommissioned, but some may have been reactivated in 2014) Number Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned NotesPG 01 821 25 March 1991Baker 1998, pp. 427–428. 17 July 1992 22 March 1993 6 June 2008PG 02 822 25 March 1991 17 July 1992 22 March 1993 6 June 2008PG 03 823 8 March 1993 15 June 1994 13 March 1995 24 June 2010

See also , a Canadian hydrofoil intended for anti-submarine duties , a Royal Navy Jetfoil mine countermeasure vessel. , a class of Soviet PHM , a class of Soviet PHM

References

Baker, A.D. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1998. . Gardiner, Robert and Stephen Chumbley. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland USA: Naval Institute Press, 1995. . Moore, John. Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–86. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1985. . Prézelin, Bernard and Baker, A.D. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1990. . Saunders, Stephen (RN) Jane's Fighting Ships 2003-2004