Corvettes were small, escort boats that were used during World War II for anti-submarine and ASW operations. Many countries built these vessels, including France, Italy, and Britain. Many corvettes were small with displacements under 1,000 tons. They were mostly used to escort convoys. Corvettes were also made by many countries for use in armed conflict. The Italians made 69 corvettes, while Germany built eight Spica class corvettes.
Russian Navy has 21 Tarantul- and Grisha class corvettes. Their main armament is the P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles. These corvettes are classified as frigates by NATO. They are primarily operated by the Russian Navy, although the Russian Coast Guard also operates corvettes.
Corvettes are an extremely popular small warship. They are used for military and humanitarian operations, especially in the coastal regions of Asia. They can be equipped with various small and medium calibre guns. They are capable of carrying up to twelve tonnes, which is comparable to most small to medium sized aircraft. They are also capable in anti-aircraft, anti-submarine operations. Corvettes can also be equipped with a variety of mission modules that are designed to carry out tasks that were previously assigned to other specialist classes of ships. They can also be converted into a Mine Warfare Command (MWC) ship, which is capable to lay mines.
Three Sa'ar 5 class corvettes are owned by the Israeli Navy. These ships come equipped with a Barak 8 SAM. They also carry a number indigenous weapons, as well as an InfraRed Signaling Suppression System. These ships are built to be fast and agile. These ships can also be used in shallow coastal waters. Their main gun is a 76mm naval gun. They can also carry Hsiung Feng III Anti-ship Missiles. They can travel at 45 knots.
Corvettes have also been used in other areas. Royal Canadian Navy maintains several corvettes. Their names are derived from smaller Canadian cities. Royal Thai Navy, Royal Malaysian Navy, Vietnam People's Navy have a variety of corvettes. They are also named for smaller Asian cities. The Portuguese Navy also operates several corvettes.
Littoral Combat Ships, a newer class of ship, are capable of performing many tasks previously assigned to special classes. They are a lot like OPVs, but with an aviation detachment. While they are more expensive, their ability carry out costly and difficult missions makes these a great option for many nations. They can also be made cheaply and have a flexible hull design that allows customers to select the equipment. The hull is large, making them capable of handling tasks previously assigned to ships of specialized classes. They are also capable of performing tasks that were previously only assigned to smaller, less-equipped ships.