Talking to Naval News during an exclusive interview, Giuseppe Giordo, General Manager of Naval Vessels at Fincantieri explained that the design being offered is the Italian FREMM frigate in its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) configuration:
“We are offering the Italian FREMM, that we believe is the best product in terms of frigate around the world. It is the same product with which we achieved many international results during the last two years, I believe the most important one was the signing of the contract with Indonesia”.
Giuseppe Giordo, General Manager of Naval Vessels at Fincantieri
Fincantieri announced last month that it has signed signed a contract with and the Ministry of Defense of Indonesia for the supply of 6 FREMM-class frigates, the modernization and sale of 2 Maestrale-class frigates, and the related logistical support. Earlier this year, two former Italian Navy FREMMs were transferred to Egypt. In April last year, Fincantieri Marinette Marine won the contract for the future frigate of the US Navy, known as FFG(X) with its FREMM multipurpose frigate-based design. The ships will be known as the Constellation-class.
Achille Fulfaro, Commercial Director at Fincantieri Naval Vessels division, added that the ASW FREMM is well proven all over the world and features a high level of flexibility especially for the combat system suite.
“We just gave all the relevant information in terms of capability of the ship to the end user. We are very flexible also in order to evaluate alternative systems that the end user would require”.
Achille Fulfaro, Commercial Director at Fincantieri Naval Vessels division
Naval News understands that the FREMM is being proposed in two configurations, one featuring european combat systems (for example with MBDA missiles) and another one featuring american combat systems (with Raytheon missiles). In both case however the combat management system (CMS) would be the ATHENA by Leonardo.
Regarding the MEKO (Hydra-class) upgrade proposal, Mr. Fulfaro explained that Fincantieri is working with the Hellenic Navy and Greek MoD to evaluate the possible systems commonality between the FREMM and the Hydra-class for the platform and the combat system.
Regarding the so-called stop-gap solution, Achille Fulfaro said:
“We have just offered an interim solution using Italian Navy ships available for export, we are discussing also this type of proposal”.
No details were provided on the exact type of ship, but Naval News believes it is likely Maestrale-class frigates (as it was the case for the Indonesia contract).
Naval News also learned that Fincantieri is planning to build the first FREMM in one of its eight shipyards in Italy, with part of the workforce coming from Greece for training reasons.
About Italian FREMM Frigates
FREMM is a class of multi-purpose frigates designed by Fincantieri and Naval Group for Italian and French Navy. However, FREMM built by Fincantieri are heavier and more armed than their sisters of the French Navy.
FREMM are able to make a wide range of missions including anti-submarine warfare as well as anti-ship and anti-air warfare.
Specifications of the Frigates built by Fincantieri (FREMM specifications for Indonesia are still unknown) :
- Displacement: 6,700 tonnes
- Length: 144m
- Draught: 7.6m
- Beam: 19,7m
- Propulsion: CODLAG
- Maximum speed: >27 knots
- Range: 6000 nautical miles at 15 kn
- Crew: 145
- Weapons: 16 MBDA Aster 15 and 30 missiles; 2 × Leonardo OTO Melara 76/62 mm Davide/Strales guns; 2 × Leonardo Oto Melara/Oerlikon KBA 25/80 mm remote weapon systems; 8 × MBDA Teseo\Otomat Mk-2/A anti-ship and land attack missiles; 2 × triple Leonardo B-515/3 launcher for MU 90 torpedoes.
- Aviation facility: 2 hangars
