Duilio ship, everything about the destroyer that shot down a Houthi drone in the Red Sea
The Duilio ship shot down a Houthi drone in the Red Sea, "in implementation of the principle of self-defence", specified the Ministry of Defense headed by Crosetto. Facts and insights
The destroyer Caio Duilio fired in response to an attack by the Houthis, who have been attacking the safety of boats in the Red Sea for months.
On the afternoon of March 2, implementing the principle of self-defense, Nave Duilio shot down a drone in the Red Sea. The Defense announced this, specifying that "the drone, with similar characteristics to those already used in previous attacks, was approximately 6 kilometers from the Italian ship, flying in its direction".
The killing comes on the eve of the parliamentary vote for the green light for the Aspides mission , launched by the European Union with Italian technical command. In this regard, it is recalled that the European mission will conduct purely defensive activities, providing maritime domain awareness, accompanying ships and engaging in defensive military actions, unlike Prosperity Guardian, the US-led mission whose ships can be used to strike objectives in Yemen, with which it will however coordinate.
Speaking on the Rete 4 program Stasera Italia , Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani explained that Nave Duilio "reacted and shot down a drone with 7 or 8 shots from the 76 cannon, thus rejecting a violation of the international right to free movement".
The destroyer has three 76/62 mm Oto Melara Super Rapido guns, two 25/80 mm Leonardo Oerlikon KBA machine guns, a Eurosam Paams-E anti-aircraft missile system, six launchers for Aster missiles (15 and 30), two torpedo launchers and a helicopter. Furthermore, the unit is equipped to carry up to eight Teseo Mk2A anti-ship/land strike missiles.
All the details.
THE TESTIMONY OF COMMANDER QUONDAMATTEO
“When the drone got to 4 miles I made the decision. I had to defend my crew and my ship." This was told in an interview with Corriere della Sera by Andrea Quondamatteo, commander of the Caio Duilio attacked by the Houthis. “The cannon on the starboard bow fired 6 shots, after a few seconds the optical evaluation confirmed the shooting – he continues – Nave Duilio reacted in self-defence”. Quondamatteo recalls: “We were patrolling to the south, in the stretch facing the Yemeni coast, in international waters. Suddenly an unknown 'radar echo' arrived, the signal was 8 miles away. A moving profile, at low altitude and rapidly approaching." “When the commanders of the Jolly Rosa and the Grande Baltimore, Italian ships, wrote to me to thank me, I was moved,” added the commander of the Caio Duilio.
WHAT SHIP DUILIO DOES
The ship takes its name from the Roman consul Caius Duilius who in 260 BC had an army of 120 ships built, whose motto is “Nomen Numen”, translatable as “The name means power”.
As stated on the Navy website , the destroyer Caio Duilio and her sister unit Andrea Doria are part of the same Orizzonte class; both ships have modern and high air defense capabilities and are equipped with structures capable of embarking a complex command capable of operating in multinational contexts.
The destroyer Caio Duilio, built by Fincantieri, was launched in Riva Trigoso, in the province of Genoa, on 23 October 2007 and transported to the shipyards of Muggiano (SP) and then entered into service, with delivery to the Navy, on 3 April 2009. The port of registration is La Spezia and depends on the Command of the First Naval Division, of which it is also the flag unit.
THE DEBUT
The Caio Duilio made its international debut during the NATO Proud Manta exercise, carried out in the waters of the Ionian Sea in February 2011, operating together with ships, submarines and aircraft from nine allied nations. This was even before the delivery of the battle flag, an event that took place in Gaeta on 22 September of the same year.
It obtained the "Combat Ready" characteristic after passing the Naval Internship at the Naval Air Training Center of the Navy during the first months of 2012, during which it also successfully carried out the launch tests for the Paams missile system.
This is the first unit of the Italian Navy to have obtained certification for the escort of a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) of the US Navy., specifies the Navy.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NAVE DUILIO
According to the Navy, "by adopting latest generation technologies it is particularly suitable for carrying out tasks of airspace control and countering the air threat".
It is able to carry out command and control functions, even in crisis and humanitarian emergency situations, being able to count on numerous traditional and satellite communication devices, including the very recent Link22, and a modern command support system, reconfigurable according to the needs. All this can be achieved in full logistical self-sufficiency without depending on the territory on which or near which it is required to interact or operate, adds the armed force on its website.
Furthermore, the hangar and flight deck are suitable for operating SH90 helicopters (i.e. Leonardo's NH90 for anti-ship/anti-submarine duties) and EH101 helicopters for maritime patrol, transport and medical evacuation needs.
THE WEAPON ON BOARD
The Caio Duilio destroyer has the following armament: three 76/62 mm Oto Melara Super Rapido guns, two 25/80 mm Leonardo Oerlikon KBA machine guns, one Eurosam Paams-E anti-aircraft missile system, six launchers for a total of 48 Aster missiles (15 and 30) produced by Mbda, two torpedo launchers and a helicopter (SH90/EH101). The unit also has the provision for the loading of up to eight Teseo Mk2A anti-ship/land strike missiles.
As Ares Difesa recalls, “the fighter has a helicopter component capable of employing MBDA Marte Mk2/S anti-ship missiles. Passive protection is ensured by the electronic warfare system of the Elettronica/Thales consortium with RESM/RECM systems, in addition to decoy launchers against air and underwater threats".
INCREASED FORCES IN THE AIR IN VIEW?
Finally, despite the increase in attacks by the Houthis, there will not be an increase in forces deployed in the area. “What we have foreseen in the Missions decree is necessary, so there will be a ship always present in addition to those already present in the area, combined with the European ones and it should be sufficient” explained Minister Crosetto this morning interviewed by Tg2 .
In fact, we remember that Nave Duilio has been sailing in the Red Sea for a month, since it replaced the frigate Federico Martinengo. In January, in turn, the frigate Martinengo relieved the peer-class Virginio Fasan .
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/nave-duilio-tutto-sul-cacciatorpediniere-che-ha-abbattutto-un-drone-degli-houthi-nel-mar-rosso/ on Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:09:17 +0000.