 The Italian fleet consisted of 12 ironclads and a similar number of wooden warships , escorting transports which carried troops intending to land on the Adriatic island of Lissa . Among the Italian ironclads were seven broadside ironclad frigates , four smaller ironclads , and the newly built Affondatore — a double @-@ <unk> ram . Opposing them , the Austrian navy had seven ironclad frigates . 
