Lerici-class minehunter

The Lerici class is a class of minehunters constructed by Intermarine SpA and owned and operated by the Italian and Algerian navies. The class incorporates two subclasses: the first four ships are referred to specifically as the first series of the Lerici class, while eight more ships produced to a slightly modified design are known as "second series Lericis" or as the Gaeta class.

The class design has also been used as the basis for ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy (as the Mahamiru class), the Nigerian Navy, the United States Navy (as the Osprey class), the Royal Australian Navy (as the Huon class), and the Royal Thai Navy (as the Lat Ya class). Three updated vessels were constructed for the Finnish Navy (the Katanpää class). The Republic of Korea Navy operates an unlicensed derivative, known as the Ganggyeong class.

Twelve ships were constructed by Intermarine SpA between 1985 and 1996. The first four, referred to as the Lerici subclass) were ordered on 7 January 1978. Six more ships of an improved design (known as the Gaeta subclass) were ordered on 30 April 1988, with two more Gaetas ordered in 1991.

The four Lerici-class ships were launched from September 1982 through to April 1985, and were all commissioned into the Italian Navy during 1985.

Lerici-class ships have a displacement of 620 tons full load, 50 metres (164 ft 1 in) long, 9.9 metres (32 ft 6 in) wide, and a draught of 2.6 metres (8 ft 6 in). The ships have a maximum speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph), provided by a single diesel engine (GMT BL.230-8M for 1,600 hp; 1,200 kW) connected to an electric engine (1,985 hp; 1,480 kW) with a variable-pitch propeller. This speed is reduced to 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) for mine-warfare operations; three active rudders (small propellers mounted in a unit which can rotate through 360 degrees, powered by three diesel-engines generators Isotta Fraschini ID-36-SS6V) are used to keep the minehunters on station. The ships have a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at operational speed.

Each ship has a standard complement of 47, made up of 4 officers, 7 clearance divers, and 36 ratings. They are equipped with one hyperbaric chamber, one mechanical minesweeper system Oropesa Mk4, two ROV Whitehead-Riva Calzoni MIN-77 (then replaced by one ROV Gaymarine Pluto GIGAS) and Gaymarine Pluto, remote-operated submersibles for mine investigation and clearance, and VDS FIAR SQQ-14 (IT) sonar. CMS (Combat Management System) is Datamat MM/SSN-714(V)3. Two navigation radars: one GEM Elettronica SPN-754 (I band) and one GEM Elettronica SPN-753(V)1 ARPA (I band), completed by integrated navigation system Motorola MRS III. The ships are armed with a single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon (then replaced by Browning M2 12.7 mm).

Depending on the source, the Gaeta-class ships are considered to be either a Lerici subclass, or a separate class of ships.
The eight ships of the Second Series Lerici class, more commonly known as the Gaeta class, were all launched in the early 1990s, and were commissioned by May 1996. The Gaeta class is almost identical to the Lerici class: the main structural differences between the ships are that displacement of the latter is 77 tons greater, the hull is 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) longer, and the communications mast was moved from above the bridge to just forward of the exhaust funnel. The Gaetas also used an improved version of the VDS FIAR SQQ-14 (IT) sonar, which was fitted in 1991 to the four Lerici-class ships.
ROV are Gaymarine Pluto and Gaymarine Pluto GIGAS.
Navigation radar GEM Elettronica SPN-753 replaced with (V)9 ARPA version (I band).CMS was evolved version (Combat Management System) Datamat SSN-714(V)3UL. On board one larger hyperbaric chamber (8 seats).

In 2010 Intermarine began MLU (mid-life update), expected to complete in 2018. New sonar is Thales 2093 Mk2, new CMS (Combat Management System) Selex ES SSN-714(V)4, new containerized and removable hyperbaric chamber and added new EMDV (Expendable Mine Disposal Vehicle) Gaymarine Plutino (MIKI, MIne KIller).