Almirante Clemente-class destroyer

The Almirante Clemente class was a group of destroyer escorts built for several countries and designed by Ansaldo of Italy for the Venezuelan Navy in the 1950s, to complement its Nueva Esparta-class destroyers. The Venezuelan Navy ordered six ships, with construction contracts awarded on 25 January 1954, Indonesia ordered two and Portugal one, and in Portuguese service the ships were called patrol boats. The Venezuelan ships were classed as light destroyers, later as anti-submarine frigates and finally as coast guard vessels. Notable features included an alumite superstructure, air conditioning throughout, retractable Denny-Brown fin stabilisers and an OTO-Melara 102 millimetre gun used only on this class. The two Indonesian ships, Imam Bondjol and Surapati, were built by Ansaldo and completed in May 1958, with lighter anti-aircraft armament than their Venezuelan sisters.