Des Geneys was one of four Pisani-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s.

Designed in parallel with the Mameli-class submarines, the Pisani class was larger accommodate more fuel and give them more range.

[1] For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,500-brake-horsepower (1,119 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft.

They were also armed with a single 102-millimeter (4 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface.

[1] Des Geneys was laid down by Cantiere Navale Triestino in their Trieste shipyard on 1 February 1926, launched on 14 November 1928, and completed on 31 October 1929.