Audaz-class destroyer

{{Infobox ship  |infobox_caption=  |display_title=  |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image=Fragata rápida (D 38) Intrépido no porto da Coruña.jpg |image_size= |image_caption= }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview |builders=Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval, Ferrol |operators={{navy|Spain}} |class_before={{sclass|Churruca|destroyer|4||1927}} |class_after={{sclass|Lepanto|destroyer|4}} |built_range=1945–1965 |in_commission_range=1953–1982 |total_ships_completed=9 |total_ships_lost=1 |total_ships_scrapped =8 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption=Original design |class= |displacement={{convert|1106|LT|t|disp=flip|abbr=on|lk=on}} standard |length={{convert|93.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a |beam={{convert|9.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |draught={{convert|3.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |draft= |propulsion=*3 × boilers * 2 × Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines |power={{convert|30800|shp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip|lk=on}} |speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}} |range={{convert|3800|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|14|kn}} |complement=145 |sensors= |EW= |armament=* 3 × {{cvt|105|mm|in}} dual-purpose guns * 4 × {{cvt|37|mm|in}} anti-aircraft guns * 8 × {{cvt|20|mm|in}} anti-aircraft guns * 6 × {{cvt|533|mm|in}} torpedo tubes |armour= |armor= |aircraft= |aircraft_facilities= |notes= }}

|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics |hide_header= |header_caption=As modified |class= |displacement={{convert|1227|LT|t|disp=flip|abbr=on}} standard |complement= |sensors= |EW= |armament=* 2 × {{cvt|76|mm|in}}/50 anti-aircraft guns *2 × {{cvt|40|mm|in}} Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft guns |armour= |armor= |aircraft= |aircraft_facilities= |notes= }} }} The '''''Audaz'' class''' was a class of nine destroyers built for the Spanish Navy after the Second World War. Construction was slow, with only four completed to the original design from 1953–1956. The remaining five ships completed as anti-submarine escorts with a new armament and sensor fit from 1960 to 1965, while the original four ships were also modified to this standard. Built at Ferrol, they completed in 1946–1950 and were rated as gunboats, and were redesignated as frigates in 1959. The last of the class, ''Intrepido'', was stricken in 1982.

==Construction and design== In 1945, the Spanish State began work on a class of nine small destroyers or torpedo boats, based on the French {{sclass|Le Fier|torpedo boat|4}} design.<ref name="conways22 p402">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|p=402}}</ref> Seven ''Le Fier''-class ships were laid down in 1939–1940 before the French surrender in 1940 stopped construction. Germany restarted construction of six of the ships, with different armament, but none were completed.<ref name="conways22 p272">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|p=272}}</ref> The Spanish ships used the same armament layout as intended by the Germans.<ref name="conways47 p433">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|p=433}}</ref>

The ships were {{convert|93.9|m|ftin}} long overall and {{convert|90.0|m|ftin}} between perpendiculars, with a beam of {{convert|9.4|m|ftin}} and a draught of {{convert|3.0|m|ftin}}. Displacement was {{convert|1106|LT|t|disp=flip|lk=on}} standard and {{convert|1474|LT|t|disp=flip}} full load.<ref name="conways47 p433"/> They had a unit machinery layout, with boiler and engine rooms alternating.<ref name="conways22 p402"/> Three La Seine 3-drum boilers generated steam at {{convert|500|psi|kPa|disp=flip|lk=on}} and {{convert|375|F|C}} which was fed to Rateau-Bretagne geared steam turbines, rated at {{convert|30800|shp|kW|order=flip|lk=on}} giving a speed of {{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}. 290 tons of oil were carried, giving a range of {{convert|3800|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|14|kn}} and {{convert|900|nmi}} at 33 knots.<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name="jfs60 p264">{{Harvnb|Blackman1960|p=264}}</ref><ref name="jfs79 p437">{{Harvnb|Moore|1979|p=437}}</ref>

As originally designed, they were armed with three {{convert|105|mm|adj=on}} dual-purpose guns, all mounted aft, with four {{cvt|37|mm|in}} anti-aircraft guns (one of which was mounted forward of the ship's bridge) and eight {{cvt|20|mm|in}} anti-aircraft guns. Six {{cvt|533|mm|in}} torpedo tubes in two triple mounts were fitted.<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name=purn>{{cite magazine|title=Audaz|magazine=Purnell's illustrated encyclopedia of modern Weapons and Warfare|pages=214–215}}</ref> The ships had a complement of 145 men.<ref name="conways47 p433"/>

From 1959, the availability of US military aid resulted in the five ships that were still being built to be completed to a revised design as anti-submarine escorts, with a completely new armament and sensor outfit, while the four ships which had been delivered were refitted to the new standard.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chumbley|1995|pp=427–428, 433}}</ref> Anti-aircraft armament consisted of two US {{cvt|3|in|mm|order=flip}} Mark 34 guns mounted aft and two {{cvt|40|mm|in}} Bofors L/70 guns, with one forward of the bridge and one aft of the ship's funnels. Two Hedgehog anti-submarine mortars were fitted, together with eight depth-charge throwers and two depth charge racks, and two launchers for {{cvt|342|mm|in}} Mark 32 anti-submarine torpedoes.<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name=purn/><ref name="jfs79 p437"/> The modified ships were fitted with MLA-1B air-search radar, SPS-5B surface search radar and SPG-34 fire control radar, with QHBa sonar.<ref name=purn/><ref name="jfs79 p437"/>

Displacement increased to {{convert|1227|LT|t|order=flip}} standard and {{convert|1550|LT|t|order=flip}} full load while speed dropped to {{convert|31.6|kn}}<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name="jfs71 p290">{{Harvnb|Blackman|1971|p=290}}</ref> The revised ship's complement was recorded as 191 in 1971 and 199 in 1979.<ref name="jfs71 p290"/><ref name="jfs79 p437"/>

==Service== Although all nine ships were laid down at the Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval (SECN) shipyard at Ferrol dockyard in 1945, financial problems slowed construction, and the first ship, {{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Audaz|1951|2}}, was not completed until 1953.<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name=purn/> Three more were completed by 1956, with the remaining five ships completing to the revised arrangement from 1960 to 1965, while the original four ships were modernised by the end of 1963.<ref name="conways47 p433"/><ref name="jfs71 p290"/>

One ship, {{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Ariete|1955|2}}, was wrecked in 1966 when it ran aground, while the remaining ships started to be discarded in 1972, with the last ship, {{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Intrépido|1961|2}}, stricken in 1982.<ref name="conways47 p433"/>

==Ships== At first, the ships of the class were designated as conventional destroyers, but they were redesignated as fast frigates in 1955, as anti-submarine frigates in 1956 and as anti-submarine destroyers in 1961.<ref name="jfs71 p290"/>

{| class="wikitable" |- !Name !Pennant number{{#tag:ref|From 1961<ref name="jfs62 p213">{{Harvnb|Blackman|1962|p=213}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} !Laid down<ref name="conways47 p433"/> !Launched<ref name="conways47 p433"/> !Completed<ref name="conways47 p433"/> !Fate<ref name="conways47 p433"/> |- |{{ship|Spanish destroyer|Ariete|1955|2}}||D36|| 3 August 1945||24 February 1955||7 February 1961||Ran aground and wrecked at entrance to River Muros 25 February 1966.<ref name=purn/> |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Audaz|1951|2}} ||D31|| 26 September 1945 || 24 January 1951 ||30 June 1953 ||Stricken 1974 |- |{{ship|Spanish destroyer|Furor|1955|2}} ||D34 || 3 August 1945 ||24 February 1955 || 9 September 1960 || Stricken 1974 |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Intrépido|1961|2}} || D38 ||14 July 1945 || 15 February 1961 || 25 March 1962 || Stricken 1982 |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Meteoro|1951|2}}{{#tag:ref|Originally named ''Atrevido''.<ref name="conways47 p433"/>|group=lower-alpha}} ||D33 ||3 August 1945 ||4 September 1951 ||30 November 1955 ||Stricken 1975 |- |{{ship|Spanish destroyer|Osado|1951|2}} || || 3 August 1945 || 4 September 1951 || 26 January 1955 ||Stricken 1972 |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Rayo|1951|2}} || D35 || 3 August 1945 || 4 September 1951 || 26 January 1956 || Stricken 1974 |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Relámpago|1961|2}} || D39 ||14 July 1945 || 26 September 1961 || 7 July 1965 ||Stricken 1965 |- |{{Ship|Spanish destroyer|Temerario|1960|2}} || D37 || 14 July 1945 || 29 March 1960 || 16 March 1964 ||Stricken 1965 |}

==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Citations== {{reflist}}

==References== *{{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1960–61|year=1960|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.|location=London}} *{{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1962–63|year=1962|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.|location=London}} *{{cite book|last=Blackman|first=Raymond V. B.|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72|year=1971|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.|location=London|isbn=0-354-00096-9}} *{{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Chesneau|editor2-first=Roger|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year=1980|location=London|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|isbn=0-85177-146-7}} *{{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Chumbley|editor2-first=Stephen|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995|year=1995|location=Annapolis, Maryland, USA|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=1-55750-132-7}} *{{cite book|editor-last=Moore|editor-first=John |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–80|year=1979|publisher=Jane's Yearbooks|location=London|isbn=0-354-00587-1}}

Category:Destroyers of the Spanish Navy Category:Destroyer classes Category:Audaz-class destroyers