Sparviero - class patrol boat The Sparviero - class are small hydrofoil missile boat s capable of traveling at speeds of 46 knots . They were designed for and formerly used by the Italian Navy . The Japanese 1 - go class missile boat is an updated version formerly used by the Japan Maritime Self - Defense Force ( JMSDF ) . History . Italy . The Sparviero class fast attack hydrofoil was designed in Italy by the Alinavi society , a consortium of the American company Boeing , the Italian government ' s naval research branch , and Carlo Rodriguez , a Messina - based builder of commercial hydrofoils , based on Boeing ' s " Tucumcari " for the US Navy . A prototype , named " Sparviero " was ordered in 1970 for the Italian Navy , " Sparviero " was laid down by Alinavi in La Spezia in April 1971 , was launched on 9 May 1973 and finally commissioned into Italian navy service on 15 July 1974 . The design used the Boeing Jetfoil system , with one hydrofoil forward and two aft , which folded out of the water when cruising . The ship was propelled at high speeds by a Rolls - Royce Proteus gas turbine driving a water jet , while a diesel engine driving a retractable propeller powered the ship at low speeds . The hull and superstructure were constructed entirely of aluminium . As the design was intended for short - range , high speed operations , no sleeping accommodation was fitted . Armament consisted of two Otomat anti - ship missiles aft and a single Oto Melara 76 mm rapid - fire gun forward . It was planned in 1974 – 1975 to order four more Sparviero class hydrofoils , to be supplemented by at least two larger Pegasus class hydrofoil s , but plans for a NATO - wide standardisation on the Pegasus class were abandoned . When orders were finally placed in 1977 , they were for six more Sparvieros ( giving seven in total ) and no Pegasus class boats . The new ships , built by Fincantieri at Muggiano , entered service from 1982 to 1984 , and differed from the prototype in having a more advanced installation for the Otomat missiles ( using the Teseo control system ) and having water injection fitted to the gas turbines . The class proved to be underpowered , and it was hoped to re - engine them with more powerful ( ) Alison gas turbines , but these plans were later abandoned . All of the Italian ships have now been decommissioned . Japan . The Japan Maritime Self - Defense Force ( JMSDF ) selected a modified version of the Sparviero class as a replacement for its PT 11 class torpedo boat s . A license agreement was signed in 1991 to build up to 12 Sparvieros , with the first two approved in FY90 and both were laid down laid down by Sumitomo in Uraga on 25 March 1991 . An order for a third boat was delayed to help pay for Japan ' s contribution to the Gulf War , with it not being laid down until 1993 . A request for a fourth boat under the FY 95 budget was rejected , and plans for further hydrofoils abandoned . The Japanese chose different armament than used in the Italian boats , with up to four Type 90 Ship - to - Ship Missile s replacing the Otomats and a non - stabilised 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon replacing the larger Oto Melara gun . The main powerplant is a General Electric LM500 gas turbine . Military use . Italian ships have all been decommissioned . The Sparviero class was used by the Japanese coastal patrol forces as a fast attack interceptor . ( All decommissioned ) ( All decommissioned ) Ships in class . Image gallery for PG 1 - go class ( GlobalSecurity . org )