Padua-Class Light Cruiser
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Padua-Class Light Cruiser |
| Builders: | Royal Shipbuilders of Cacerta |
| Operators: |
 Cacertian Royal Navy |
| Preceded by: | Molfetta-Class |
| In commission: | 1933 - 1954 |
| Planned: | 6 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Cancelled: | 2 |
| Retired: | 6 |
| Preserved: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Light Cruiser |
| Displacement: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 15,500 Tons Standard 18,700 Tons Fully Loaded |
| Length: | 197 Meters |
| Beam: | 23 Meters |
| Draft: | 7.32 Meters |
| Propulsion: |
list error: <br /> list (help) 4 × Shafts 4 × CNRC Steam Turbines 4 × Divinity Three-Drum Boilers |
| Speed: | 33.5 knots (62 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles at 20 knots |
| Complement: | 1,000 Officers and Crew |
| Armament: |
list error: <br /> list (help) Guns: 10 × 160mm RN-QFIV Dual-Purpose Guns Dual Purpose: 16 × 75mm RN-DPII Dual-Purpose Guns Other: 16 × 540mm Torpedo Tubes |
The Padua-class was a class of light cruisers built for the Cacertian Royal Navy leading up to and during the Siduri War. Despite their classification as a light cruiser, the Padua-class were relatively large ships and possessed a main battery of ten 160mm quick-firing guns capable of devastating damage to light class warships. They were also the final class of light cruisers built under the auspices of Andrea Doria’s post-Divide War new naval strategy.
A total of six ships were initially planned. Four were completed and the last two were cancelled before their hulls were laid down as a result of shifting military funding. Two were immediately assigned to Task Force Andria to bolster the naval contingent there with the remaining two assigned to Task Force Center. Although all four ships served extensively during the war, three were famously present during the Battle of the Sabri Sea.
They remained in active service until they were decommissioned in 1954 and sold for scrap. The Padua is the only surviving example of the ship and is moored at the naval outpost at its namesake city.