Legoli-class

S801 Sombra, the lead ship of the Undine-class.
Class overview
Name:	Legoli-class
Builders:	Cappelli Costruzione Marina S.p.A
Operators:	Luminerra
Preceded by:	Gioia-class
Built:	1996 - 2010 2020 -
In commission:	2002 - present
Planned:	25
Building:	6
Completed:	19
Active:	19
General characteristics
Type:	Attack submarine (SSP)
Displacement:	Surfaced: 1450 tons Submerged: 1830 tons
Length:	57.2 m (187.66 ft)
Beam:	7 m (22.96 ft)
Draft:	6 m (19.68 ft)
Propulsion:	Electric propulsion motor on permanent magnets Storage battery with increased service life 2 diesel Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems based on oxygen-hydrogen fuel cells 1 shaft 2,700 hp (2,013 kW).
Speed:	Submerged: 21 knots (24 mph; 39 km/h) Surfaced: 10 knots
Range:	8,000 nm (14,800 km, or 9,196 miles) at 8 knots (15 km/h) surfaced
Endurance:	3 weeks without snorkeling, 12 weeks overall
Test depth:	over 700 m (2,296 ft)
Complement:	5 officers, 22 men
Sensors and processing systems:	Guardiano ES B/NEP-15 integrated sonar system ECONLU B/NRN-98 I-band navigation radar B/NUC-99 communications system Stella Nord satellite navigation system.
Electronic warfare & decoys:	Guardiano ES B/NCQ-89 electronic warfare suite
Armament:	6 x 533 mm torpedo tubes (in 2 forward pointing groups of 3) with a mixture of 20 torpedoes or TREXSA Espada missiles 12 Vaccari Pastinaca surface to air missiles 1 x Srad CA-30/90 30 mm recoilless autocannon on retractable mast 24 external naval mines (optional)
Aircraft carried:	3 x unmanned aerial vehicles

The Legoli-class submarine is a conventional powered attack submarine developed by Cappelli Costruzione Marina S.p.A. It is in service with the Lumenic Armada. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cells, the second known vessel to use a fuel cell propulsion system. The submarine is capable of high speed operation using its diesel powered engine or use its AIP system for silent operations, allowing it to stay submerged for up to three weeks continuously. The system is also said to be vibration-free and extremely quiet, while the submarine itself is entirely undetectable by magnetic anomaly detector thanks to its non-magnetic hull.

Development

The Legoli-class was designed to replace the aging Gioia-class submarines in service with the Lumenic Armada

Description

The Legoli-class is designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations both at sea and within the a littoral zone. The design and arrangement of the stern planes allows the vessel to operate within waters as shallow as 17 m (55 ft). This feature, relatively unique among modern attack submarines, facilitates covert operations by allowing combat swimmers to be deployed closer to shore.

The Undine-class was designed with stealth in mind, both when operating underwater and when surfaced. The vessels prismatic hull cross-section and smoothly faired transitions from the hull to the sail, vastly improve the boat's stealth characteristics by reducing its radar cross section. The hull and internal compartments are all constructed of nonmagnetic materials, thereby reducing the vessels magnetic signature and rendering it undetectable by magnetic anomaly detectors

The vessels unique air-independent propulsion allows for virtual silent running while operating underwater, even at high speed. To reduce the inherent dangers of hydrogen–oxygen propulsion, namely fires and explosions, the storage tanks for the fuel and oxidizing agent are located between the pressure hull and outer light hull, thereby placing them outside of the crew area. The gases are piped through the pressure hull to the fuel cells as needed to generate electricity, however, this arrangement minimizes the amount of gas present in the crew area at a given time.

The command and control systems aboard the Undine-class are highly integrated and based on a high-performance databus and a distributed computer system. These systems include sophisticated command and weapons control systems and a sophisticated submarine communications buoy system manufactured by Guardiano ES. The ships integrated sonar, also by Guardiano ES, includes four medium frequency passive sonar sets arranged in a cylindrical array, as well as a low frequency towed array, a flank array sonar for low / medium-frequency detection, and a high frequency mine detection system. In addition, the ship is equipped to preform passive sonar ranging, and is equipped with a hostile sonar interception device.

The periscope, designed and produced by Opere Difesa Integrate, is equipped with an laser rangefinder, as well as infrared and thermal vision equipment. The periscope is linked into the submarines Stella Nord satellite navigation system.

Weapons

The Legoli-class is equipped with a variety of weapons systems, including torpedo, missiles, and a 30 mm cannon in a retractable mast. The 30 mm cannon, produced by Srad, can be fired without the vessel surfacing, and is designed to support diver operations as well as to engage light surface targets or fire warning shots. The vessel is equipped with 6 torpedo tubes, all 533 mm in diameter. A variety of torpedoes can be utilized, including the Squalo Nero heavyweight torpedo. Submarines in the Lumenic Armada are equipped to fire the TREXSA Espada missile, which is designed for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land attack missions and is capable of being fired from a variety of naval platforms, including submarines and surface vessels.

For defense against anti-submarine warfare aircraft, the Legoli-class is capable of utilizing the Vaccari Pastinaca, a short range fiber-optic guided missile fired from the submarines torpedo tube. This missile can be fired while the submarine is submerged and is designed to minimizing the boats detection after launching the missile. It allows the vessel to defend itself from ASW aircraft without being located or exposing itself to enemy fire. Although primarily intended for use against aircraft, the Pastinaca can be used against surface or coastal land targets. These missiles are stored inside the launch tube in magazine containing four missiles.

Operational history

In 2019, the Lumenic Armada authorized funding for six more Legoli-class vessels to be laid down at the Aliano Shipyard in Poilina. These vessels will replace the remaining six Gioia-class vessels in service with the Lumenic Armada, and are expected to be completed by 2023, and in service no later than 2025.

Operators

• Luminerra
  • Lumenic Armada

Ships in class

Country	Pennant number	Name
Luminerra	S801	NA Ombra
Luminerra	S802	NA Fantasma
Luminerra	S803	NA Spirito
Luminerra	S804	NA Anima
Luminerra	S805	NA Diavolo
Luminerra	S806	NA Spettro
Luminerra	S807	NA Sussurro
Luminerra	S808	NA Apparizione
Luminerra	S809	NA Chimera
Luminerra	S810	NA Revanente
Luminerra	S811	NA Tempesta
Luminerra	S812	NA Vendicatore
Luminerra	S813	NA Buio
Luminerra	S814	NA Aggressore
Luminerra	S815	NA Mannaro
Luminerra	S816	NA Folletto
Luminerra	S817	NA Sparire
Luminerra	S818	NA Impaccio
Luminerra	S819	NA Devastatore
Luminerra	S820
Luminerra	S821
Luminerra	S822
Luminerra	S823
Luminerra	S824
Luminerra	S825