Alfredo Oriani was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the mid-1930s.

[4] Their main battery consisted of four 50-caliber 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure.

Although they were not provided with a sonar system for anti-submarine work, they were fitted with a pair of depth charge throwers.

[6] Alfredo Oriani belonged to the 9th destroyer flotilla of the Royal Italian Navy, which also comprised her sisters Vittorio Alfieri, Giosue Carducci and Vicenzo Gioberti.

[7] Oriani survived the Battle of Cape Matapan, where she was severely damaged by the 6 inches (150 mm) secondary guns of battleship HMS Warspite.