cruiser "Andrea Doria" Class, Cruiser Andrea Doria (553)

[mc205v 786]

Guided Missile Cruiser Andrea Doria (553)

At the end of the 1950s, the Italian Navy needed new units that could perform the role of anti-aircraft and anti-submarine escort of naval formations, to collaborate with NATO forces, given the increasing escalation of the "Cold War". In 1958 a new type of missile cruisers and helicopter carriers was set up, which will take the class name "Andrea Doria", composed of two units, "Andrea Doria" and the twin "Caio Duilio". The two units launched in 1964 that made up this class were multi-role ships designed and built to perform the functions of command and control, and of anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defense of naval formations and were designed for the NBC war, having the possibility of isolating the internal environments from external ones. The displacement and dimensions were rather limited, the aft area was equipped with a large flight deck (in 1967 a Royal Navy Harrier carried out a landing test on the deck of the Andrea Doria) with a hangar capable of accommodating four helicopters, the hull was equipped with "Denny Brown" stabilizing fins for roll reduction. The propulsion was steam powered with four Foster & Wheleer boilers and two steam turbines connected by two-propeller turbo-reducer groups, with a power of 60,000 HP which allowed a speed of 31 knots with a range of 6,000 miles at 15 knots. The medium and long-range anti-aircraft defense armament consisted of a Mk 10 launch pad for Terrier missiles (located in the forward area) which was guided by two Sperry AN / SPG-55A radars for the simultaneous guidance of two missiles. The short-range anti-aircraft defense was ensured by eight single 76/62 mm OTO Melara guns arranged amidships in a lateral position, four on each side, to which four Argo NA-10 fire control centers were enslaved. The antisubmarine component consisted of the AN / SQS-23 sonar placed in the hull in the forward area and the presence of two Mk 32 three-headed torpedo launcher complexes. From 1976 to 1978 it was modernized with the installation of the first automatic systems of the direction of operations of combat (SADOC - 1), the engine was converted from naphtha to diesel and the standardization of the missile system was carried out. The Andrea Doria had a long and intense operational activity, and was also the flagship of the Italian Navy.

 

Specifications:

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Crew:
Officers: 60
Second Chiefs, Sergeants and Seamen: 440

Displacement: 
Full load: 6500 tons

Dimensions:
Length: 149,30 m 
Width: 17,2 m
Full Load Draft: 4,96 m

Engine System:
4 Foster - Wheeler boilers
2 Groups of turbo-reducers 
2 Propellers
Power: 60000 HP 
Speed: 31 knots (57,41  km/h)

Armament:         
1 twin system missile launcher, Surface-to-Air, Terrier
8 Cannons 76/62 mm OTO Melara 
2 SCLAR rocket launchers 105 mm, with 20 barrels
2 Anti-Submarine trinated torpedo launchers
4 Augusta-Bell 204  Anti-Submarine helicopters or  Augusta-Bell 212  Anti-Submarine helicopters
or 2 helicopters SH-34 or 2 helicopters type SH-3D

Electronic equipments:
1 three-dimensional air radar Frescan AN/SPS-39
1 air-naval discovery radar R.C.A. AN/SPS-12
1 navigation radar  S.M.A. MM-SPQ-2
1 sonar AN/SQS-23 

Photos:

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"Andrea Doria" class - External views and longitudinal section.

Launch tests of the Terrier missile aboard the cruiser Andrea Doria.

Vertical landing test by a Royal Navy Harrier on the flight deck of Andrea Doria in 1967.

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Sources:

Ufficio Storico della Marina Militare - Gli Incrociatori Italiani 1861 - 1975

https://www.navalanalyses.com/2015/04/warships-of-past-andrea-doria-class.html

http://www.naviecapitani.it/Navi e Capitani/gallerie navi/navi militari storiche/schede navi/A/ANDREA DORIA/Andrea Doria.htm

https://svppbellum.blogspot.com/2018/11/incrociatori-lanciamissili-doria-e.html

https://www.marinai.it/menu/doria.htm

https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/ABCD/andrea_doria_incrociatore.aspx

https://naval-encyclopedia.com/cold-war/italy/doria-class-helicopter-cruisers-1962.php/

Edited January 16, 2022 by mc205v

[Princess_Pinch 5,625]

Open for diskussion. o7

[Grimbergen95 362]

+1 even without the missiles the 8x76mm are enough for establish a no fly zone

[Nicholas_Concu 2,634]

+1
more modern ships pls.

[mc205v 786]

2 hours ago, Princess_Pinch said:

Open for diskussion. o7

Thanks

[Milocat 4,857]

+1, looks like a great future addition.

[ironcell26 252]

Floatomagic fortress+1

 

[Conte_Baracca 4,547]

In the far future this will be great.

[_Pixy 196]

Keep em rollin, I want em all! +1

[ItalianAce02 40]

+1 (I lose my words)