Torpedo boat Cassiopea
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Class overview | |
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Operators | |
Preceded by | Curtatone class |
Succeeded by | Ariete class |
Built | 1934–1937 |
In service | 1935–1964 |
Completed | 32 |
Lost | 23 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Torpedo boat |
Displacement |
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Length | 83.5 m (273 ft 11 in)oa |
Beam | 8.1 m (26 ft 7 in) |
Draught | 2.55 m (8 ft 4 in) |
Installed power | 19,000 hp (14,200 kW) |
Propulsion | 2 boilers, 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts |
Speed | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
Complement | 116 |
Sensors and processing systems | Sonar and hydrophones |
Armament |
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The Spica class was a class of torpedo boats of the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during World War II. These ships were built as a result of a clause in the Washington Naval Treaty, which stated that ships with a tonnage of less than 600 could be built in unlimited numbers. Thirty-two ships were built between 1934 and 1937, thirty of which entered service with Italy and two of which were sold to the Swedish Navy in 1940. The two units in Swedish service were classified as destroyers until 1953, then re-classified as corvettes. Although commonly referred to as torpedo boats due to their smaller displacement, the Spica class armament was similar to destroyers (their design was influenced by the Maestrale-class destroyer then in development) and were intended for anti-submarine operations but had to fight aircraft and surface forces. Twenty-three vessels were lost during the war.