The deployment to the Asia-Pacific marks Francesco Morosini‘s first operational deployment since being delivered to the Italian Navy last year. The deployment is aimed at not just reinforcing Italy’s security commitment to the region but also showcasing its industrial capabilities to a major emerging market.
Francesco Morosini is currently configured in the PPA Light configuration and is thus only armed with guns. In the future, it and sistership Paolo Thaon di Revel will be upgraded to PPA Full standard. This includes the addition of a Vertical Launch System (VLS) equipped with Aster 30 surface to air missiles, a towed array sonar, long-range strike weapons and upgraded sensors. Between the two configurations is Light+ which maintains the VLS and upgraded sensors but does away with the other full-configuration equipment.
All configurations can be complemented by mountable and modular capabilities. The design features two modular mission spaces that can each support more than 80 tonnes of equipment. These are located on the deck, between the fore and aft superstructure, and beneath the rear flight deck. While designed to accept standard ISO containers, they’re flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of payloads.
Throughout its Asia-Pacific deployment, Francesco Morosini has carried an embarked SH-90A (The Italian designation for the NH-90 NATO Frigate Helicopter) inside its unusual hangar. The hangar is exceptionally tall for a ship of its size which allows complex maintenance work that would otherwise take place ashore, such as removing and replacing helicopter engines, to be conducted while underway.
Once Francesco Morosini departs Singapore it will crisscross Southeast Asia making calls in major capitals and attending other trade shows, including the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. After that, it will make the journey north to the Republic of Korea and Japan, before returning to Italy at the end of September.