Diciotti-class offshore patrol vessel

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:
  • Malta - P61
  • Iraq - Saettia MK4
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:
  • - 51.7 m (170 ft) LOA
  • - 47.2 m (155 ft) LPP
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:
  • - 2 navigation radar, X and S band, GEM Elettronica SPN-753
  • - IRST fire control system
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:
  • - 52.8 m (173 ft) LOA
  • - 47.2 m (155 ft) LPP
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:
  • - 2 navigation radar, X and S band, GEM Elettronica SPN-753XS(V)2
  • - IRST fire control system GEM Elettronica EOSS/100
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:
  • - 53.4 m (175 ft) LOA
  • - 47.2 m (155 ft) LPP
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: 1 × Otobreda KBA 25/80 mm; 2 x 12.7mm MGs
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:
  • - 53.4 m (175 ft) LOA
  • - 47.2 m (155 ft) LPP
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)

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)
P61 in 2006
P61 at Hay Wharf, with the rear launching ramp visible.

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 length 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 the 5th of 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 the 11th of 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 the 24th of 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]

Iraq (Saettia MK4)

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.[11][12][13]

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.[11]

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.[12] 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.[12]

The vessels are used to patrol the exclusive economic zone, control maritime traffic, for search and rescue and fire fighting.

Panama - SENAN, National Air and Navy Service of Panama (Saettia Mk2)

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
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)
el-Nasir (لناصر) 701 6156 Riva Trigoso (La Spezia) 2009 9 October 2009
Fatah (لفتح) 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

References
  1. "Saettia MK2". Fincantieri (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  2. Peruzzi, Luca (30 November 2017). "Fincantieri redelivers upgraded OPV to Malta". Jane's Navy International. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  3. "Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) P61". Armed Forces of Malta. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  4. "Diciotti-class at AFM Maritime Squadron 2nd Regiment". Schnellboot.net (in German). Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-06-05. Retrieved 2019-06-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-06-05. Retrieved 2019-06-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/97-migrants-including-two-women-one-pregnant-and-two-children-rescued-by-afm-in-maltese-waters%5B%5D
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-06-12. Retrieved 2019-06-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/97-migrants-disembarupdated-2-afm-rescues-97-immigrants-president-vella-discusses-immigrationk-in-malta-after-an-armed-forces-search-and-rescue-operation/
  10. https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/watch-ocean-viking-migrants-brought-to-malta-last-night/
  11. "Iraq receives first Patrol Vessel "Fateh"". Defence Professionals GmbH. 16 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  12. 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.
  13. "Naval Vessel Mark IV". Fincantieri.it. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
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