{{short description|Destroyers of the Spanish Navy}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = Spanish destroyer Lepanto (D-21) underway at sea, circa in the 1970s.jpg | image_caption = ''Lepanto'' underway at sea, {{circa|1970s}} }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview | name = ''Lepanto'' class | builders = *Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation *Bath Iron Works *Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation *Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company | operators = {{navy|Spain}} | class_before = {{sclass|Audaz|destroyer|4}} | class_after = {{sclass|Oquendo|destroyer|4}} | total_ships_planned = 5 | built_range = 1941–1943 | total_ships_on_order = | total_ships_completed = 5 | total_ships_active = | in_commission_range = 1957–1988 | total_ships_retired = 5 | subclasses = {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer|4}} }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | type = Destroyer | class = | displacement = *{{convert|2050|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} standard *{{convert|2500|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full | length = *{{convert|376.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} | beam = {{convert|39.5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} | draft = {{convert|17.5|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} | depth = | hold_depth = | propulsion = *4 × GM Mod. 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, {{convert|60,000|shp|MW|abbr=on}} *2 × screws | speed = {{convert|36.5|kn|lk=in}} | range = {{convert|5500|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|abbr=on}} | complement = 329 | armament = *5 × single 5"/38 cal guns *3 × twin 40 mm bofors *3 × single Oerlikon 20 mm guns *2 × triple Mark 44 torpedo tubes *2 × Mark 10 Hedgehog mortars *2 × depth charge track | sensors = *1 × AN/SPS-6 air-search radar *1 × AN/SPS-10 surface-search radar *1 × Mark 37 Director | armor = | notes = }} }}
The '''''Lepanto'' class''' was a class of five destroyers of the Spanish Navy, which originated as United States Navy {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}s. They entered service in 1957, with the last one being decommissioned in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lepanto D20 ex US Fletcher class Destroyer DD - Spanish Navy Armada Espanola|url=https://www.seaforces.org/marint/Spanish-Navy/Destroyer/Lepanto-Fletcher-class.htm|access-date=2021-06-15|website=www.seaforces.org}}</ref>
== History == These are ships used by the United States Navy during World War II and slightly modernized in electronics and weaponry at the beginning of the 1950s. Throughout the 1960s they constituted the backbone of the Spanish Navy. Eventually, they were replaced in escort duties by the {{sclass|Descubierta|corvette|1}}s in the early 1980s. However, they remained in service until well into the 1980s, by which point they were obsolete.
They received five destroyers of the {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer|4}} for the Spanish Navy from the United States from 1957 to 1988 as part of the Military Assistance Program.
They were all put out of service between 1985 till 1988.
== Characteristics == {{Main|Fletcher-class destroyer}} Before the takeover, the ships were modernized to a considerable extent. All but three 20 mm Oerlikon cannons were removed and the three 40 mm Bofors guns remained. The electronics were modernized and the mast was replaced by a tripod mast.
All five ships were retrofitted with two triple Mark 44 torpedo tubes on each side of the ship.
== Ships in the class == {| class="wikitable" !Pennant !Name !Builders !Laid down !Launched !Commissioned !Decommissioned |- |D21 |''Lepanto'' | rowspan="2" |Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation | rowspan="2" |12 June 1941 |31 May 1942 | rowspan="2" |15 May 1957 |31 December 1985 |- |D22 |''Almirante Ferrándiz'' |4 July 1942 |17 November 1987 |- |D23 |''Almirante Valdés'' |Bath Iron Works |23 February 1942 |30 August 1942 |1 July 1959 |17 November 1986 |- |D24 |''Alcalá Galiano'' |Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation |7 June 1943 |14 February 1944 |3 November 1960 |15 December 1988 |- |D25 |''Jorge Juan'' |Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company |30 June 1943 |14 November 1943 |1 December 1960 |15 November 1988 |}
== See also == * Churruca-class destroyer (1972) (Gearing-class destroyer): Another group of destroyers transferred to Spain
== Citations == <references />{{Portal bar|Spain|Engineering}}
Category:Destroyer classes Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the Spanish Navy Category:Destroyers of the Spanish Navy Category:Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Spanish Navy