Capitani Romani - class cruiser Capitani Romani was a class of light cruiser s of the Italian navy . They were essentially designed to outrun and outgun the large new French destroyers of the " Fantasque " and " Mogador " classes . Twelve hulls were ordered in late 1939 , but only four were completed , just three of these before the Italian armistice in 1943 . The ships were named after prominent Ancient Romans . Design . The " Capitani Romani " were originally classed as " ocean scouts " ( " Esploratori Oceanici ) " , although some authors consider them to have been heavy destroyers . The design was fundamentally a light , almost unarmoured hull with a large power plant and cruiser style armament . The original design was modified to sustain the prime requirements of speed and firepower . Given their machinery development of 93 , 210 kW , equivalent to that of the 17 , 000 ton cruisers of the " Des Moines " class , the target speed was over , but the ships were left virtually unarmoured . As a result , the three completed warships achieved during trials . The " Capitani Romani " shipped a main battery of eight 135 mm guns , with a rate of fire of six rounds per minute and a range of 19 , 500 m . They also carried eight 533 mm torpedo tubes . The wartime load dropped the operational speed to . Operational history . Only " Scipione Africano " saw combat . Equipped with the Italian - developed EC . 3 " Gufo " radar , she detected and engaged four British Elco motor torpedo boat s lurking five miles ahead during the night of 17 July 1943 , while passing the Messina straits at high speed off Punta Posso . She sank MTB 316 and heavily damaged MTB 313 between Reggio di Calabria and Pellaro , on the position . A dozen British seamen lost their lives in this action . The engagement lasted no more than three minutes . " Scipione Africano " suffered minor damage and two injures when German batteries deployed along the Italian coast opened fire in the aftermath . The cruiser had been ordered from La Spezia to Taranto , which she eventually reached at 9 : 46 AM . Her high speed was decisive to the outcome of the battle . After her eventful passage into the Ionian Sea , she laid down four minefields in the Gulf of Taranto and the Gulf of Squillace from 4 to 17 August , together with the old cruiser " Luigi Cadorna " . " Attilio Regolo " was torpedoed by on 7 November 1942 , and remained in drydock for several months with her bow shattered . She was interned in Port Mahon in the island of Minorca , Spain , after the Italian capitulation on 9 September 1943 . Ships . Four of the ships were scrapped before launch . Five were captured by the Germans in September 1943 , still under construction . All five were sunk in harbour , one was raised and completed . Three were completed before the Italian armistice . French post - War service . The " Attilo Regolo " and " Scipione Africano " were transferred to France as war reparations . They were renamed " Chateaurenault " and " Guichen " respectively . The ships were extensively rebuilt for the French Navy by La Seyne dockyard with new anti - aircraft - focussed armament and fire - control systems in 1951 - 54 . The ships were decommissioned in 1961 - 61 . Post - war Italian service . The " Giulio Germanico " and " Pompeo Magno " served in the post war Marina Militare , being renamed " San Marco " and " San Giorgio " respectively . Both ships were extensively rebuilt in 1951 - 55 and fitted with American weapons and radar . Characteristics included : " San Marco " was further rebuilt as a cadet training ship in 1963 - 65 when she was fitted with new CODAG machinery . New 76mm guns replaced the 40mm and X 5 inch mounting . " San Marco " was decommissioned in 1971 , " San Giorgio " following in 1980 .