In the early 1950s, the Italian shipyard Ansaldo designed a class of corvettes suitable for coastal escort duties.

The design was selected for production in Italian shipyards for NATO navies using US funds under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, with three ships built for Italy, four for Denmark and one for the Netherlands.

[3][4] The design had a flush-decked hull, with no raised forecastle, and was powered by two diesel engine giving 3,900 kW (5,200 bhp) which drove two shafts and propelled the ships a speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).

[6] Anti-submarine armament consisted of two Hedgehog forward with depth charge projectors and racks aft.

[2][7] In 1961, Flora took part in the filming of the giant-monster movie Reptilicus, which became a legend of cheesy cinema and would eventually become an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 2017.