Almirante Clemente class destroyer
Almirante Clemente and General Moran |
| Class overview |
| Name: |
Almirante Clemente |
| Builders: |
Cantieri Navale Ansaldo |
| Operators: |
Venezuelan Navy |
| Preceded by: |
Captain class |
| Completed: |
6 |
| Active: |
0 |
| Retired: |
6 |
| Preserved: |
1 |
| General characteristics |
| Type: |
Destroyer |
| Displacement: |
Standard: 1,300 tons, Full load: 1,500 tons |
| Length: |
99,1 m |
| Beam: |
10.8 m |
| Draught: |
3.7 m |
| Propulsion: |
2 Foster Wheeler boilers 650 psi (4.5 MPa), 850 °F (454 °C)), Parsons steam turbines, 2 shafts, 24,000 horsepower (18 MW) |
| Speed: |
32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Range: |
3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Complement: |
162 |
Sensors and
processing systems: |
see table attached |
Electronic warfare
and decoys: |
see table attached |
| Armament: |
see table attached |
| Armour: |
Light & Medium |
| Aircraft carried: |
None |
The Almirante Clemente class of destroyer escorts is a class of warships built for several countries. The class was designed by Luigi Ansaldo Ficantieri for the Venezuelan Naval Forces, currently Venezuelan Navy, in the 50's to complement its Nueva Esparta class destroyer.
The Venezuelan Navy has 2 out of 6 ships originally ordered, and Portugal, Algeria, and Indonesia each have 2 ships of this design. In the Portuguese navy, these ships are referred as patrol boats. In the '50s Venezuelan Navy, the ships were classified as DLV (Destroyer Light Vessel) or light destroyers, in the '80s were reclassified as ASW frigate, and are currently classified as coast guard vessels.
Technical specifications
These ships include among their specs these characteristics:
- Alumite superstructure.
- Air Conditioned in all areas.
- Retractable Denny-Brown fin stabilisers[1][2]
Those ships are one of the first prototypes of a hydrofoil's in destroyers, because Displacement-Length ratio is near to 50, means it can reach speeds near 32 knots (59 km/h), with 24.000 shp (17.897 kW). On the other hand, there is no way to reach higher speeds with its power plant, but those ships were equipped with large fin stabilizers and these help it to lift up to 4° over waterline, in this condition Length is less than 150 feet (46 m) then speed is near 45 knots (83 km/h).
The usage of these kind of device is a weapons systems support device, this can be tracked to HMS Bittern, the most of the Hunt destroyers after refit have it, but the very first Battle destroyers the HMS Finisterre and the HMS Camperdown have it, even ships as HMS Amethyst have it, but don't use form higher consumption of power, according several conversations lines in the Maritime History forum MARHST in the US navy ships as USS Gyatt (DD-712) have it.
Log file
| Code |
Name |
Shipyard ID |
Keel date |
Launch date |
Commissioned |
AA & ASW Refit |
Weapons Refit |
Coast Guard |
Major maint. |
Status |
Decommissioned |
Life Cycle |
| D12 |
Almirante Clemente |
1491 |
05/05/1954 |
12/12/1954 |
04/12/1956 |
N/A |
1968/75 |
1984/85 |
1986 |
In service |
N/A |
>51,22 |
| D13 |
General Flores |
1493 |
05/05/1954 |
12/12/1954 |
1956 |
N/A |
1968/75 |
N/A |
N/A |
Sunk |
1978 |
22 |
| D22 |
General Moran |
1492 |
05/05/1954 |
12/12/1954 |
10/01/1957 |
N/A |
1968/75 |
1984/85 |
1986 |
In service |
N/A |
>51,12 |
| D23 |
Almirante Brión |
1496 |
12/12/1954 |
04/09/1955 |
1957 |
1962 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Sunk |
1978 |
22 |
| D32 |
General Austria |
1497 |
12/12/1954 |
04/09/1956 |
1957 |
1962 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Sunk |
1976 |
20 |
| D33 |
Almirante García |
1498 |
12/12/1954 |
12/10/1956 |
1957 |
1962 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Sunk |
1977 |
21 |
Sensors & EW
| Model |
Max Range |
Abilities |
Notes |
| AN/SPG-34 |
30 |
Aerial and surface search, bearing and classification |
Radar |
| AN/SPS-10 |
20 |
Aerial and surface search, bearing and classification |
Radar |
| AN/SPS-6 |
110 |
Aerial and surface search, bearing and classification |
Radar |
| AN/SQS-4 |
2 |
Search, range and bearing |
Active/Passive Sonar |
| ESM Level 1 |
500 |
Aerial and surface search, bearing and classification |
Passive RWR/ESM/SIGINT |
Weapons & Abilities
| Mount |
Rate of Fire |
Armor |
Sensors onboard |
Capacity |
Weapons per mount |
| 4 x 20mm/80 Twin Oerlikon |
1 |
None |
None |
15 |
15 x 20mm/80 Twin Oerlikon (máx 15) |
| 21' Mk IX Triple torpedo tube |
1 |
Light |
None |
3 |
3 x 21' Mk IX Triple torpedo tube (máx 3) |
| 2 x Mk XI Hedgehog |
5 |
Light |
None |
1 |
1 x Mk XI Hedgehog (máx 1) |
| 2 x Mk IX Deep Charge Mortar |
5 |
None |
None |
12 |
12 x Mk IX Deep Charge Mortar (máx 12) |
| 2 x 102mm/45 Vickers MK XVI Twin |
3 |
Light |
None |
20 |
20 x 102mm/45 Vickers MK XVI Twin (máx 20) |
| 2 x MK VI Deep charge mortar |
2 |
None |
None |
10 |
10 x MK VI Deep charge Mortar (máx 10) |
| 2 x 40 mm/56 MKI Twin Bofors |
1 |
Light |
None |
40 |
40 x 40 mm/56 MKI Twin Bofors (máx 40) |
Magazines per Weapon
| Magazine |
Rate of Fire |
Armor |
Capacity |
Stores |
| 102 mm/45 Vickers MKXVI (x2) |
1 |
Medium |
500 |
500 x 102 mm/45 Vickers MKXVI (Máx 500) |
| 20 mm/80 Twin Oerlikon (x4) |
4 |
None |
400 |
400 x 20 mm/80 Twin Oerlikon (Máx 400) |
| 40 mm/56 Twin Bofors (x2) |
7 |
None |
410 |
410 x 40 mm/56 Twin Bofors (Máx 410) |
| Deep Charge MK VI |
90 |
None |
30 |
30 x Deep Charge Mortar (Máx 30) |
| Deep Charge MK IX |
90 |
None |
36 |
36 x Deep Charge MK IX (Máx 36) |
| Hedgehog MK XI |
1 |
Light |
40 |
40 x Hedgehog MK XI (Máx 40) |
Communications & Datalinks
| Name |
Type |
range |
Channels |
Description |
| HF |
Radio |
300 |
10 |
HF Safe |
| 2 x VHF |
Radio |
100 |
10 |
VHF Safe |
| 2 x UHF |
Radio |
100 |
10 |
UHF Safe |
Sensors Signatures
| Signature Type |
Front |
Side |
Rear |
| Passive Sonar |
100 |
101 |
102 |
| Active Sonar |
14 |
25 |
15 |
| Visual |
98 |
136 |
98 |
| IR |
—28 |
46 |
2 |
| Radar |
59 |
125 |
59 |
Venezuelan Navy
Ships
The construction contracts for these destroyers were awarded on 25/01/1954, and their names were an homage to Venezuelan war of independence heroes who lie at Panteón Nacional:
- D-12 Almirante Clemente, named after Lino de Clemente, an officer of the Spanish and Venezuelan navies and prominent politician in early Venezuela. Sunk in 2009.
- D-13 General Flores, named after Juan José Flores, Venezuelan soldier, as well as the first president of Ecuador. Sunk in 1978.
- D-22 General Moran, named after José Trinidad Moran, a soldier who fought with Simón Bolívar's independence movement. Still in service.
- D-23 Almirante Brion, named after Luis Brión, an admiral in Bolivar's navy. Sunk in 1978.
- D-32 General Austria, named after José de Austria, a general under Francisco de Miranda's command. Sunk in 1976.
- D-33 Almirante Garcia, named after José María García, a naval officer under Juan Bautista Arismendi. Sunk in 1977.
Fleet Arrangement
- First Division
- D11 Nueva Esparta (Nueva Esparta Class Destroyer)
- D12 Almirante Clemente (Almirante Clemente class)
- D13 General Flores (Almirante Clemente class)
- Second Division
- D21 Zulia (Nueva Esparta class)
- D22 General Moran (Almirante Clemente class)
- D23 Almirante Brion (Almirante Clemente class)
- Third Division
- D31 Aragua (Nueva Esparta class)
- D32 General Austria (Almirante Clemente class)
- D33 Almirante Garcia (Almirante Clemente class)
External references
References
- Jane's fighting ships edition 1970-71
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Almirante Clemente-class destroyer†
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Almirante Clemente · General Flores · General Moran · Almirante Brion · General Austria · Almirante Garcia ·
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