CA-class submarine
| Industry | Aerospace and defense |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Taliedo , Kingdom of Italy |
| Products | Midget submarines (CA class) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2013) |
| Hide header= | Header caption=(series I, as finalized in 1938) | Ship type= | Ship displacement=*13.5 tonnes (13.3 long tons) (surfaced)
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Ship length=10 m (32 ft 10 in) | Ship beam=1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Ship draught=1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) | Ship draft= | Ship propulsion=*Single shaft;
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Ship speed=*6.25 kn (12 km/h; 7 mph) (surfaced)
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Ship range= | Ship endurance= | Ship test depth= | Ship complement=2 | Ship sensors= | Ship EW= | Ship armament= 2 × 17.7 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes |
|} The CA class consisted of a series of midget submarines constructed for the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) during World War II.
Design
Conceived and produced by the Caproni firm under strict confidentiality, these submarines were initially intended for coastal defense roles. However, their function was later adapted to serve as covert offensive vessels, drawing parallels to the British X craft mini-submarines.
Vessels
| Name | Series | Builder | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA 1 | I. | Caproni, Taliedo, Kingdom of Italy | 15 April 1938 | scuttled on 9 September 1943 |
| CA 2 | late April 1938 | scuttled in 1944 | ||
| CA 3 | II. | January 1943 | scuttled on 9 September 1943 | |
| CA 4 | January 1943 | scuttled on 9 September 1943 |
Operational History
Following the United States' entry into the conflict in 1942, Junio Valerio Borghese—leader of the Decima MAS, Italy's naval special forces—planned an assault on New York Harbor utilizing a CA-class midget submarine accompanied by commando frogmen. The strategy involved transporting the small submarine across the Atlantic atop a larger submarine’s deck. The Italian submarine Error: {{Ship}} missing name (help) was selected and underwent modifications at the Italian naval base in Bordeaux (BETASOM). Meanwhile, CA 2 was moved by rail from Italy, with testing conducted near La Pallice under Borghese’s direct supervision in late 1942. The sinking of Leonardo da Vinci in May 1943 prevented execution of this mission. With no replacement vessel available and the subsequent Italian Armistice, further development of the operation ceased.
See also
References
Bibliography
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-46
- Kemp, Paul: Underwater Warriors (1996, Arms & Armour Press)
External links
- Classe CA official Marina Militare page
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