Corvettes were small, escort vessels used for anti-submarine operation and ASW during World War II. These vessels were made by several countries, including France, Italy and Britain. The majority of corvettes had displacements below 1,000 tons. They were mostly used to escort convoys. But many countries also built corvettes that could be used in armed conflict. The Italians built 69 corvettes; the Germans created eight Spica classes.
Russian Navy has 21 Tarantul- and Grisha class corvettes. Their main armament is the P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles. NATO classified these corvettes in the category of frigates. These corvettes are mainly operated in Russia by the Russian Navy. However they can be used by the Russian Coast Guard.
Many countries have corvettes as a 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 can carry up to twelve tonnes. This is comparable to small- to medium-sized aircraft. They are capable of carrying out both anti-submarine as well as anti-aircraft missions. 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.
The Israeli Navy has three Sa'ar 5 corvettes. These ships are equipped to carry a Barak 8 SAM. They also include a variety indigenous weapons, including an Infra Red Signature Suppression Device. These ships can be maneuvered quickly and are agile. These ships are capable of operating in shallow waters. Their main gun is a 76mm naval gun. They can also carry Hsiung Feng III, anti-ship missiles, and a variety of other weapons systems. They have a range between 45 and 55 knots.
Also, corvettes are used in other places. Royal Canadian Navy maintains several corvettes. Their names are derived from smaller Canadian cities. Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy both have several corvettes. They are also named after smaller Asian cities. The Portuguese Navy also operates several corvettes.
Littoral Combat Ships can be described as a more modern type of ship and are capable in many tasks that were previously reserved for specialist classes. They look a lot alike OPVs, but they have an air detachment. They are a lot more expensive to build, but their ability to carry out difficult and expensive missions makes them a great choice for many nations. They can also easily be built with a flexible and low-cost hull design so customers can choose the equipment that they prefer. Because they have a larger hull, they are better equipped to handle tasks that would normally be assigned to special ships. They can also perform tasks previously assigned to smaller-sized, less-equipped ships.