Foca

History: The Foca class were a group of three minelaying submarines built for the Royal Italian Navy (Regia Marina) during the 1930s. The Foca-class submarines were improved versions of the preceding Micca class. They displaced 1,305 metric tons (1,284 long tons) surfaced and 1,625 metric tons (1,599 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 82.85 meters (271 ft 10 in) long, had a beam of 7.17 meters (23 ft 6 in) and a draft of 5.2 meters (17 ft 1 in).

The lead boat, Foca, was lost on 13 October 1940 while laying mines off Haifa to unknown causes. Atropo and Zoea, the second and third vessels of the class, were used after Italy's 1943 surrender by the Allies for anti-submarine training. Both were scrapped in 1947.

Type: Submarine

Primary Country: Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient ruins. Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s "David" and Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.