Maestrale was the lead ship of her class of four destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the early 1930s.

The Maestrale-class destroyers were a completely new design intended to rectify the stability problems of the preceding Folgore class.

They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,600–2,800 nautical miles (4,800–5,200 km; 3,000–3,200 mi) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) and 690 nmi (1,280 km; 790 mi) at a speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph).

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

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