Princesa Alandra class
 ARC Princípe Diego Iñigo operating in Cryrian waters as part of Nordörn 2022
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| Class Overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Arsenale Corric |
| Operators: | Royal Antoran Armada |
| Built range: | 1973-present |
| In commission: | 1977–present |
| Ships planned: | |
| Ships completed: | 10 |
| Ships active: | 10 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Fast attack craft |
| Displacement: | 234 long tons |
| Length: | 47 m |
| Beam: | 8 m |
| Draft: | 2.1 m |
| Installed power: | 4 × GSEB PE3K 12V gas turbines generating 12,000 hp (8,900 kW) combined |
| Propulsion: | Four shafts |
| Speed: | 48 kn (89 km/h; 55 mph) |
| Range: |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 30 crew |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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| Armor: | 1 cm |
The Princesa Alandra class are ten fast attack craft built by Arsenale Corric in Porto Armada for the Royal Antoran Armada. Designed as part of the Proyécto de Equipamíento Navál Interoperáble (Interoperable Naval Equipment Project), these vessels were intended to provide escort and fire support for the larger vessels of the Project, such as the Rége Julían class. The first Princesa Alandra class was commissioned in 1977, with the following 7 ships entering service between 1978 and 1983. Armed with two dual-purpose naval guns and four missile tubes, the ships were the only member of the Interoperable Project not to require a redesign or extensive refits to be considered fit for service. The Princesa Alandras are the most numerous combat-focused ships in the Royal Antoran Armada, making up the bulk of the Second Deterrent Fleet.
The cost of operating a substantial modern navy can dissuade even moderately wealthy nations, especially in the realm of maintanence. The Royal Antoran (then Corric) Defense Forces reviewed their naval doctrine in the mid-1960s and decided that a core of medium-to-small capital ships and a large number of smaller, flexible craft would be the most economical option for future expansion. The Princesa Alandra class was created to fulfill the roles of anti-ship and anti-air vessels to replace the ageing Rége Felípé class frigates and Princesa Mariangel class corvettes. The capabilities of the new fast attack craft were lauded by naval officers and engineers upon their launch, but their intended replacement of older ships never fully materialized due to the failures in design and construction of the Princesa Gloria class corvettes. The corvettes' redesign and delayed building schedule led to the failure of the overall goal of the Interoperable Project, but the Princesa Alandra class remained a standout model of function and reliability into the 21st century. When the older corvette and frigate classes were finally retired in 2021, the FDAR's Bureau of Procurement made the decision to order more fast attack craft to ensure the patrol range of the Armada was not impacted.