The Sparviero class, also known as the Nibbio class, are small hydrofoil missile boats capable of traveling at speeds of 46kn. 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).
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.[1] [2] A prototype, named Sparviero was ordered in 1970 for the Italian Navy,[3] 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.[4]
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.[1] [2]
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.[2] [5] 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.[1] [4]
The class proved to be underpowered, and it was hoped to re-engine them with more powerful (6394bhp) Alison gas turbines, but these plans were later abandoned.[2] All of the Italian boats have now been decommissioned.
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.[2]
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 5200abbr=onNaNabbr=on General Electric LM500 gas turbine.
Italian boats have all been decommissioned. The Sparviero class was used by the Japanese coastal patrol forces as a fast attack interceptor.
(All decommissioned)
| Number | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes | ||
| Sparviero | P 420 | April 1971[6] | 9 May 1973 | 15 July 1974 | 30 September 1991 | ||
| Nibbio | P 421 | 1 August 1977 | 29 February 1980 | 7 March 1980 | 10 October 1996 | ||
| Falcone | P 422 | 1 October 1977 | 27 October 1980 | 7 March 1982 | |||
| Astore | P 423 | 1 July 1978 | 20 July 1981 | 5 February 1983 | |||
| Grifone | P 424 | 15 November 1978 | 1 December 1981 | 5 February 1983 | |||
| Gheppio | P 425 | 16 May 1979 | 24 June 1982 | 20 September 1983 | |||
| Condor | P 426 | 21 March 1980 | 25 January 1983 | 7 April 1984 |
(All currently decommissioned, but some may have been reactivated in 2014)
| Number | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes | ||
| PG 01 | 821 | 25 March 1991[7] | 17 July 1992 | 22 March 1993 | 6 June 2008 | ||
| PG 02 | 822 | 25 March 1991 | 17 July 1992 | 22 March 1993 | 6 June 2008 | ||
| PG 03 | 823 | 8 March 1993 | 15 June 1994 | 13 March 1995 | 24 June 2010 |