The Italian Navy operates two Sirio-class patrol boats: the Sirio P409 and the Orione P410, which were commissioned in 2003
The class can perform various tasks such as patrolling and surveillance at sea
control of maritime traffic and inspections, humanitarian relief operations, search and rescue operations
control of the maritime borders, protection of merchant shipping and fisheries, support operations and many more
Designed to operate in low-intensity conflict environments, the Sirio class gives less emphasis on stealth characteristicsv
The ships have a full load displacement of about 1,520 tons, a length of 88.6 m, a beam of 12.2 m, and a draft of 3.84 m
Each ship is powered by two Wärtsilä NSD- W12-26 V-XN diesel engines providing 11,590 hp to two variable-pitch propellers
The ships have a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 3,300 nautical miles at 14 knots
Three Isotta Fraschini 1708 T2 M2 800 hp diesel generators each power the on-board electronics
The armament consists of two Oerlikon KBA-Alenia Oto Melara 25 mm guns with the provision to bow mount an OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid gun
Each unit can embark a single helicopter, either an AB-212 ASW or SH-90A NFH, but the ships lack hangars
The ships are equipped with a Selex ES RAN-30X multi-mode radar operating at X band, search radar with over-the-horizon detection mode
There are 2 navigation radar GEM Elettronica SPN-753
For antipollution roles, vessels are fitted with: skimmers, 330 m3 of recovered oils tankers, 32 m3 of chemical dispersants and one chemical laboratory
Two Italian patrol ships are serving as coastal patrol and traffic control, cargo and surveillance in immigration control
Typical features of such vessels are the extensive range as well as sea-keeping and manoeuvrability performances
which make them highly flexible from the operational point of view