Impavido brings guided missiles to Italy's destroyers

The Impavido class developed from the Impetuoso destroyers as Italy's first guided-missile destroyers. The earlier Impetuoso and San Giorgio classes shared the role and period associated with Britain's Daring class, with Italy spreading that stage of development across two pairs of ships. Impavido's missile fit invited comparison with the American Charles F. Adams class, though the Italian ships carried no ASROC. Their armament included Tartar surface-to-air missiles, a twin 5-inch/38 gun, four early 76 mm mounts, and triple 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo launchers. They could also carry one helicopter. At roughly 3,200 tons standard displacement and just under 4,000 tons fully loaded, the ships initially carried a broad armament. Their unreliable 76 mm installations and limited hull space nevertheless fell short of the capability and adaptability the Italian Navy wanted.