The Diciotti class is an Italian-designed offshore patrol vessel, presently in use with the Italian Coast Guard, Iraqi Navy, Armed Forces of Malta and Panama SENAN. These ships are designed and built by Fincantieri on the bay of La Spezia to Muggiano and Riva Trigoso shipyards.
 CP-902 U. Diciotti in Mitillini Harbour, Greece
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Saettia class |
| Builders | Fincantieri to Muggiano and Riva Trigoso (La Spezia) shipyards |
| Operators |
|
| Preceded by | Kondor I-class (Malta) |
| Subclasses |
|
| Built | 1984-2009 |
| In commission | 1999-2009 |
| Planned | Italy: 6, Malta: 1, Iraq: 4 |
| Building | Italy: 6, Malta: 1, Iraq: 4 |
| Completed | Italy: 6, Malta: 1, Iraq: 4 |
| Active | Italy: 4, Malta: 1, Iraq: 2, Panama: 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Saettia Mk1 |
| Displacement | 390 t (380 long tons) |
| Length | |
| Beam | 8.10 m (26.6 ft) |
| Draft | 2.1 m (6.9 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 40 knots (74 km/h) |
| Range | 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 x RHIBs |
| Complement | 29 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament | 1 × Otobreda KBA 25/80 mm; 2 x 12.7mm MGs |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Saettia Mk2 [1] |
| Displacement | 427.0 t (420.3 long tons), full load |
| Length | |
| Beam | 8.10 m (26.6 ft) |
| Draft | 2.1 m (6.9 ft) |
| Depth | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | max 31 knots (57 km/h) |
| Range | 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Endurance | 7 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 x RHIBs |
| Complement | 29 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament | 1 × Oerlikon 20/70 mm; 2 x 12.7mm MGs |
| Notes | VERTREP capability |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Saettia Mk3 |
| Displacement | 391.0 t (384.8 long tons), full load |
| Length | |
| Beam | 8.10 m (26.6 ft) |
| Draft | 2.1 m (6.9 ft) |
| Depth | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 23 knots (43 km/h) |
| Range | 2,100 nautical miles (3,900 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 1 x 7 meter RHIB |
| Complement | 25 |
| Sensors and processing systems | Surface Search E/F-Band; Navigation I-Band |
| Armament |
|
| Aviation facilities | flight deck for 1 x medium helicopter (AB-212 class) |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Saettia Mk4 |
| Displacement | 401.0 t (394.7 long tons), full load |
| Length | |
| Beam | 8.10 m (26.6 ft) |
| Draft | 2.1 m (6.9 ft) |
| Depth | 5.40 m (17.7 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 23 knots (43 km/h) |
| Range | 2,100 nautical miles (3,900 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 1 x 11 meter RHIB on stern ramp + 1 x 5 meter RHIB |
| Complement | 38 |
| Sensors and processing systems | Surface Search E/F-Band; Navigation I-Band |
| Armament | 1 × Otobreda Marlin 30 mm; 2 x 12.7mm MGs |
Italian Coast Guard (Saettia Mk1 and Mk2) edit
Based on the earlier experimental Saettia class (Saettia MK1), the Diciotti class (Saettia MK2) is an advanced and improved version with a longer length, more power and hence greater patrol endurance.
Malta - Maritime Squadron AFM (Saettia Mk3) edit
In 2003, the Armed Forces of Malta ordered a replacement for the former East German Kondor class patrol boats P29, P30 and P31, due to the increase in flow of refugees from North Africa to Europe.
The design for P61 (Saettia MK3) provides a clear rear half to the ship, providing sufficient space with reinforcement to land a helicopter, up to the size of an AW139. P61 has the capability of carrying out patrols up to Sea State 5, and withstand sea conditions up to Sea State 7. It can launch a rib patrol boat via a rear launch ramp up to Sea State 4. This combination of modifications increases vessel weight to 450-tonnes, and reduces standard crew capacity to 25. Maximum unrefueled patrol range at 20 knots (37 km/h) is 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km).[3]
The €17m Euros contract, financed entirely from the 5th Italo-Maltese Financial Protocol, covered the construction of the vessel together with an associated training and logistic support package. The ship was commissioned on October 1, 2005 and operational from November 5, 2005.[4] P61 acts as the flagship of the Armed Forces of Malta.[3]
The vessel has been updated in 2017 with overhaul and engine refit (Caterpillar engines replace Isotta Fraschini engines), by Fincantieri, to a cost around €7 million.
On 5 June 2019 the P61 rescued the lives of 147 migrants after they‘ve been sending distress calls in the Maltese SAR area. In total AFM vessels rescued 370 immigrants on one of the busiest days in recent history for the navy. The other migrants were rescued by the P52 and the P21.[5] [6]
On 11 June 2019, P61 rescued 97 migrants and brought them safely to Malta. This rescue comes less than a week after 147 migrants were rescued by this same vessel. [7] [8] [9]
On 24 August 2019, P61 brought to Malta a group of migrants totalling 356. This happened after Malta finally decided to give a safe port to these souls that were aboard the NGO vessel Ocean Viking for 14 consecutive days. The Maltese government said that all of the migrants will be relocated to other EU countries. This group happens to be the biggest arrival of the year to date. [10]
On 13 September 2023, P61 left Malta for Libya on an aid mission after the catastrophic damage caused to the coastal city of Derna by Medicane Daniel. Onboard the vessel there was 73 first responders which included 31 CPD members, 12 soldiers that includes doctors and nurses and the 30 member crew manning the boat. Two rescue vehicles and a dinghy were also onboard. [11] [12]
P61 returned back to base at Malta on the 17th of September with all the 73 members of the aid squad returning safely to their home country. [13]
Iraq (Saettia MK4) edit
In 2006, the new Iraqi Navy signed a contract with the Italian Government to purchase four modified Diciotti class vessels to patrol its 58 kilometre coast line.[14][15][16]
The vessels are to be built by Fincantieri at Riva Trigoso, with modifications including increased crew capacity of 38. The contract also comprises the provision of logistical support and crew training with each crew completing a 7-week training course. In cooperation with the Marina Militare (Italian Navy), each commissioning crew is provided with a week’s bridge simulator course at the Naval Academy in Livorno.[14]
In May 2009, the first vessel, Patrol Ship 701 named Fatah (Arabic for Victory), was handed over at the Muggiano, La Spezia shipyard. The crew had been training since January 2009, and now headed for Umm Qasr, a 20 day/5,000 nautical mile journey via the Mediterranean, Suez Canal and Red Sea.[15] There, additional training was completed, before the vessel took over duties from the British Royal Marine patrols, who then reverted to training the new crew.[15]
The vessels are used to patrol the exclusive economic zone, control maritime traffic, for search and rescue and fire fighting.
edit
Following an agreement reached in June 2010, Italy delivered CP 902 Ubaldo Diciotti and CP 903 Luigi Dattilo to SENAN - National Air and Navy Service of Panama as P 901 and P 902 in April 2014.
Vessels edit
 Italian Coast Guard - Saettia class (Saettia MK1)
| ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Pennant number |
Hull number |
Shipyard | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | IMO MMSI |
Note | ||
| Saettia | CP-901 | 920 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
June 1984 | December 1984 | 20 July 1999 | 223102208 247702000 |
ex experimental Fincantieri DA-360T patrol boat | ||
| Italian Coast Guard - Diciotti class (Saettia MK2)
| ||||||||||
| Ubaldo Diciotti | CP-902 | 6083 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
2001 | 20 July 2002 | in 2014 delivered as P901 to  Panamanian Public Forces SENAN, Panama
| ||||
| Luigi Dattilo | CP-903 | 6084 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
2001 | 30 November 2002 | in 2014 delivered as P902 to Panamanian Public Forces SENAN, Panama
| ||||
| Michele Fiorillo | CP-904 | 6085 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
2001 | January 2003 | |||||
| Alfredo Peluso | CP-905 | 6105 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
3 July 2003 | ||||||
| Oreste Corsi | CP-906 | 6107 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
8 January 2004 | ||||||
 Malta - P61 class (Saettia MK3)
| ||||||||||
| P61 | P61 | 6126 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
24 June 2005 | 1 October 2005 | |||||
 Iraq - Fatah class (Saettia MK4)
| ||||||||||
| Fateh(لفتح) | 701 | 6156 | Riva Trigoso (La Spezia) |
2009 | 9 October 2009 | |||||
| el-Naser (لناصر) | 702 | 6157 | Riva Trigoso (La Spezia) |
28 January 2009 | 2 May 2009 | |||||
| Majid ( ماجد) | 703 | 6158 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
15 April 2009 | 16 December 2009 | |||||
| Shmookh (شموخ) | 704 | 6159 | Muggiano (La Spezia) |
15 September 2009 | 16 December 2009 | |||||
See also edit
- Falaj 2-class patrol vessel - a more heavily armed patrol vessel based on the Diciotti.
References edit
- ^ "Saettia MK2". Fincantieri (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ Peruzzi, Luca (30 November 2017). "Fincantieri redelivers upgraded OPV to Malta". Jane's Navy International. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
- ^ a b "Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P61". Armed Forces of Malta. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ^ "Diciotti-class at AFM Maritime Squadron 2nd Regiment". Schnellboot.net (in German). Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "UPDATED (2): Total of 370 immigrants landed in three voyages - TVM News". 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
- ^ "More than 370 migrants rescued by AFM, in busiest day of arrivals in recent years". 5 June 2019. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
- ^ https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/97-migrants-including-two-women-one-pregnant-and-two-children-rescued-by-afm-in-maltese-waters[permanent dead link]
- ^ "97 migrants rescued at sea off Malta:report - Xinhua | English.news.cn". Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "UPDATED (2): AFM rescues 97 immigrants; President Vella discusses immigration - TVM News". 11 June 2019.
- ^ "WATCH: Ocean Viking migrants brought to Malta last night - TVM News". 24 August 2019.
- ^ https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/73-maltese-rescue-workers-on-their-way-to-aid-libyas-people/
- ^ https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2023-09-13/local-news/73-helpers-in-Libya-to-help-after-Storm-Daniel-disaster-6736254803
- ^ https://newsbook.com.mt/en/maltese-rescue-workers-in-libya-heading-back/
- ^ a b "Iraq receives first Patrol Vessel "Fateh"". Defence Professionals GmbH. 16 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
- ^ a b c Owen, Richard (16 May 2009). "Iraq's fledgeling navy takes possession of its first naval patrol boat". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
- ^ "Naval Vessel Mark IV". Fincantieri.it. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.