The signature of the FREMM Contract Amendment Nr 26 between the OCCAR-EA Director, Mr Joachim Sucker, on behalf of Italy and France, and the FREMM Industries’ representatives Mr. Giovanni Sorrentino as CEO of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), and Naval Group FREMM Programme Director Nr Nicola Gaspard, marked a key milestone for both the Italian FREMM design evolution project and the joint French-Italian programme.
Attained in Rome on 31 July in the presence of the Chief of the Italian Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino and the Italian Programme Committee Representative and NAVARM director Vice Admiral Giuseppe Abbamonte, in addition to Elettronica, Fincantieri, Leonardo, and MBDA Italia representatives, the ceremony not only marked the addition of two new FREMM ships in the Evolution configuration for the Italian MoD but also included the procedures for the French contractor to complete the activities and terminate the contract. A key aggregating program for the naval industry in Europe and outside the Old Continent, which together with the Horizon program, marks over 20 years of cooperation between the two countries.
Sixteen out of a total of eighteen FREMM Frigates ordered by the two nations before the FREMM EVO contract have been delivered, eight for Italy (out of ten) and eight for France (out of eight). The two FREMMs in the ASW enhanced version will be delivered in 2025, but the program will continue for Italy with the FREMM EVO and the frigates component support. With the addition of the two EVO platforms, the Italian Navy will have eight FREMMs with full ASW capabilities, including a towed variable depth sonar (VDS).
According to the latest Italian MoD’s multi-year programmatic document 2024-2026, the Italian FREMM programme saw evolution and enforcement with the extension of the logistic support activities to the year 2040 and the procurement of two additional platforms in the evolved configuration also known as FREMM EVO (Evolution).
The latter represents an evolution of the original design, which program was launched in 2002 and the contract awarded in 2006 and saw the introduction of a number of enhancements to deal with the obsolescence issues, but most importantly, to add the newest technologies and systems to cope with the latest requirements and emerging threats, in addition to an evolved logistic support.
The contract awarded to OSN has a value of about 1,5 billion euros and regards the design, construction, outfitting, and delivery of the two platforms in the new configuration. The accompanying dossier for the program authorization by the Parliament indicates a required allocation of about 2 billion euros for the program, which also includes logistic support for 10 years. Naval News understood the awarded contract includes the feasibility and development activities of the configuration, the design construction, and delivery of the platforms, alongside initial support, training, and documentation. A follow-on contract is expected for the 10-year logistic support.
The two ships will be built by the Fincantieri’s integrated shipyard including Riva Trigoso and Muggiano sites and are planned to be delivered respectively on June 2029 and June 2030. To cope with this compressed timeline, the keel laying ceremony of the first ship is understood to be attained in the first half of 2025.
The engineering expertise of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) at both the Whole Warship and Combat System level will enable the Italian Navy to make use of two operationally cutting-edge and technologically state-of-the-art vessels, according to the press statement, capitalizing on the important technological developments already undertaken as part of recent programs under the so-called Naval Law, as well as the Mid Life Upgrade project for the Horizon-class destroyers. This in addition to latest operational requirements including the counter-drone and the capacity to manage unmanned vehicles across the three dimensions (above, below and on the surface).
Following the award by OCCAR in December 2023 of the contract for the feasibility and initial derisking studies within the FREMM Contract Amendment Nr 25, the Italian Navy and MoD released the operational requirements for the new ships in March 2024, Naval News understood, and in a remarkable compressed timeframe, thanking to the commitment of the OCCAR, NAVARM and industrial team efforts, it was possible to sign the contract after only 4-5 months, a significant achievement for such complex programme, according to a source associated with it.
Based on the derisking activities, the FREMM EVO configuration matches the hull and propulsion of the current FREMMs with new superstructures capable to accommodate the same combat and platform systems installed on the latest generation vessels developed under the Naval Law, namely the Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura (PPA) or the MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) – as it is currently designated internationally -, in the Full configuration and the LHD Trieste, in addition to new systems to deal with new missions and threats. The new FREMM EVO will accommodate, among others, the same Leonardo Kronos Dual-Band Radar (DBR) suite with the four AESA flat antennas of the C-band Kronos Quad and the same number of antennas for the X-band Kronos StarFire compared to the single rotating AESA Kronos Grand Naval radar of the current FREMMs, as we will later elaborate.
The feasibility and de-risking studies allowed to determine, Naval News understood, that the current hull lines and propulsion system would have allowed to accommodate the redesign superstructures without compromise the capabilities of the platform, leaving an undisclosed margin growth. To satisfy these requirements, the new FREMM superstructures are made of aluminium alloys and the radar antennas are distributed into a front and rear main superstructure blocks with a single and main integrated mast rich of antennas summoning the front superstructure. The FREMM EVOs maintain therefore the same dimensions of the latest FREMMs with a full displacement of about 6,500 t and growth margin. The new frigates will have the standard crew and flight detachment of the current FREMMs (145 personnel) and total accommodations for 179, the latter slightly reduced for the deletion of the bow area spaces which are devoted to additional missile vertical launching systems (VLSs), as initially planned by the FREMM programme.
The new design has to match the quietness of the anti-submarine FREMM hull, accommodating the same dedicated suite used on the in-service and last two ASW configured platforms. To cope with these requirements and based on the de-risking studies, the Italian Navy has opted to maintain the same propulsion and governing configuration and systems of current FREMMs. Based on the later studies and the obsolescence cure, a new air conditioning and electrical distribution system have been introduced to cope with the expanded combat system requirements in addition to specific solutions aimed at improving the ship’s green footprint. Among the latter, the same Seasnavy cyber-resilient Ship Management System (SMS) of the MPSC with damage control software module and equipment from Martec. The main bridge layout and equipment suite is expected to be an evolution of the current FREMM ships with latest control and navigation equipment including two GEM Elettronica Gemini X/Ka radars, one of which also supporting helicopters control.
New combat system equipment
The Combat system will be based on the Leonardo cyber-resilient SADOC Mk 4 CMS with large screen consoles, remote data processing and latest software release and additional features, centred on the capability to manage unmanned platforms thanks to the Unmanned Management System (UMS) suite by Fincantieri and an enforced defence package, including a new counter-drone suite. Particular attention has been paid to the cyber protection, both the SMS and the CMS being cyber-resilient by design, in addition to the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI).
The IP-based communication suite will be based on latest Software Defined Radios (SDRs) (V/UHF and HF) and satellite communications (C/X/Ku/Ka) from Leonardo (and other providers) which also supplies the Multi Data Link Processor (MDLP) in the evolved version with data link 16, 22, VMF, JREAP and cryptos.
The sensor suite is centred on the Kronos Dual Band Radar (DBR) and the integrated electronic warfare suite, initially provided respectively by Leonardo and ELT (Elettronica) for the PPA/MPSC and LHD Trieste programmes. Developed with the Italian Navy and NAVARM support, the DBR features eight among “C” and “X” band radar fixed AESA antennas which are distributed in pairs on the two (front and rear) main superstructures blocks in order to ensure 360° coverage and efficient distribution of weights on the light alloys-made superstructures. The IEWS comes in an evolved version including RESM, CESM, RECM, CECM with counter drones capabilities.
The Kronos DBR suite features a system manager capable to control in real-time both the two different-band radars and the ship’s electronic warfare suite (EWS) by ELT Group, managing them in an integrated way to fully exploit the passive long-range and high-threat alert EWS capabilities and both the radar (X-band) and IEWS’s electronic attack modes, while ensuring the efficient use (digital blanking) of both systems.
The Kronos DBR suite is capable of performing area and point air defence, gun fire management and surface-to-air missile guidance, defense against ballistic missiles and emerging missile threats, coastal deployment and electronic attack, with advanced defense capabilities against enemy electronic measures. In particular, the DBR suite allows defence against tactical ballistic missiles and long range air threats with the C-band radar in both autonomous (without designation by third-party systems) and upon external designation modes, while the X-band radar is dedicated to the detection of short-range air threats and missiles. According to Leonardo, the DBR is able to carry out surveillance, detection and tracking of tactical ballistic missiles of the 600 km range class and to track ballistic missiles with a range of up to 1300 km with external designation.
New combat capabilities
Based on the latest requirements and lessons learned in crisis situations such as the Red Sea, the FREMM EVO will be the first Italian Navy platforms equipped with the newest generation counter UAS (CUAS) suite . According to both official statements and information collected by Naval News, the FREMM EVO features a suite including both a new dedicated radar and EW equipment, working together with new electro-optical equipment. All information are fused together and managed with the support of the artificial intelligence both at system and CMS levels, in order to respond to this threat with both soft and hard-kill systems.
The new ships will embark a new CUAS active sensor based on a four fixed face AESA radar which antennas were identified on the computer images distributed by OSN, being located under the Leonardo conformal IFF antenna on the main integrated mast. Naval News understood that a tender process to select and procure the radar is to be launched soon and two main potential candidates are versions of Fincantieri OMEGA 360 and Leonardo Tactical Multi Mission Radar (TMMR).
No further information is provided on the CUAS suite by the contract award press release but a statement released by the ELT, provider of the EW integrated suite for the MPSC and other Italian latest generation platforms, states “FREMM EVO represents a milestone both in confirming the ability to combine maturity and innovation in its EW systems that will be on board, and for the first naval supply of an advanced anti-drone counter capability. The latter will allow both the detection, recognition and identification of drones and their soft-kill counter. The project of a naval CUAS arises from the expertise acquired by Elettronica in this capacity for several years now, which have led to the development of sophisticated Artificial Intelligence algorithms developed specifically for countering the threat posed by drones.” Naval News understood the ELT CUAS complex is based on an enhanced CESM and new Counter Communication suite while the hard-kill element will be centred on the two 30 mm Lionfish remotely-controlled weapon system (RWS) by Leonardo firing air burst ammunitions, to be discussed later on.
Another key development for the FREMM EVO EW suite is the radar electronic countermeasure (RECM) suite which will be based, Naval News understood, on conformal AESA antennas incorporated into the integrated mast and hangar structure. Naval News identified them as part of the two groups of apertures placed respectively on front right (seen from the ship bow) angle of the mast under the CUAS radar antennas and the left angle of the hangar structure (also seen from the ship bow). The FREMM EVO will be the first ship of the Italian Navy to introduce this EW suite configuration.
Another key development for the FREMM EVO is the capability offered by the Leonardo CMS to manage and control a suite of multi-domain unmanned systems through the UMS (Unmanned Management Suite) by Fincantieri. In addition to air vehicles to be used from the stern flight deck, the FREMM EVOs are expected to use USVs carrying dedicated payloads including autonomous underwater systems from the two side stations for 11-meter RHIBs. Naval News understood a completely national solution has been selected, but this capability is still an option to be funded.
FREMMs’ other sensors and weapon packages
The FREMM EVO sensors suite will also include two NA-30S Mk 2 dual-band radar/EO fire control systems for the guns package placed on both superstructures blocks, the full DSS-IRST (Distributed Static Staring IRST) suite including both fixed and rotating IR and multi-spectral turrets, alongside the two OLDS decoy launchers for both air and anti-torpedo warfare, all provided by Leonardo. SITEP Italia provides the two latest generation MASS (Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System) surveillance and non-lethal system turrets positioned on the rear superstructures block in front of the rear funnel. The front engines funnels are visible at the sides of the forward superstructure block.
The armament package is centred on an evolved MBDA SAAM ESD PPA air defence missile system based on the Aster weapon family, including the Aster Block 1NT munitions, to be launched from two 8-cell Naval Group Sylver A50 vertical launching systems, positioned in the bow area. The released ship renderings highlight the space provision for other VLSs behind the installed ones. Italian Navy has confirmed this space is maintained free for additional VLSs. This area can accommodate up to two strike A70 VLS. Studies are on-going to evaluate the installation of VLSs for deep strike missiles or VLSs for CAMM ER missiles, as well as other new multi-purpose weapon launching solutions.
Based on released computer renderings, the FREMM EVOs will be equipped amidships with eight MBDA Italia Teseo Mk2/E launchers providing the anti-ship and land-strike capability together with SH90 ASW/AsuW helicopters equipped with MBDA Italia Marte ER missiles in the national customized version.
The main gun armament suite is based on two Leonardo Super Rapido 76/62 mm gun mounts in the Strales configuration to use DART guided ammunitions to deal with both missiles and asymmetric threats. As anticipated, the FREEM EVO will be the second platform of Italian Navy to be equipped with the two Lionfish 30 mm RWS by Leonardo featuring Independent Line-of-Sight (ILOS) Electro-Optical Directors and air burst ammunitions (ABM) by KNDS Ammo Italy capable to deal with UAS and asymmetric threats.
The new ships ASW suite is the same equipping the in-service ASW-configured and the two ASW enhanced version platforms and will include the bow-mounted Thales 4110 (BlueMaster) together with Leonardo Thesan collision and mine avoidance sonars alongside the Thales 4249 CAPTAS-4C variable depth sonar (VDS) and towed multi-function array mounted astern, in addition to the multibeam echosounder positioned amidships. The new ships will maintain the two triple lightweight torpedo launchers for MU90s.
