Fincantieri press release
The PPAs are built at the Integrated Shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with deliveries expected until 2026, and they are part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015 (“Naval Act”) under the aegis of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement, the international organization for cooperation on arms).
Vessel’s characteristics: PPA – Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship
The multipurpose offshore patrol vessel is a highly flexible ship with the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to Civil Protection operations and, in its most highly equipped version, first line fighting vessel. For the seven vessels of the program there will be indeed different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for self-defence ability, to a “full” one, which means equipped for a complete defence ability. The patrol ship is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.
- 143 meters long overall
- Speed up to 32 knots according to vessel configuration and operational conditions
- approx. 135 crew members and accommodation capacity up to 181 beds
- Combined diesel and gas turbine propulsion system, ie with electric motors for low speeds
- Capacity to supply drinking water to land
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Naval News comments: About PPA
The launching ceremony of the first the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) Paolo Thaon di Revel took place on June 15 2019 at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia). The first ship-in-class started sea trials on November 19. 2019. It is set to be commissioned this year. The second vessel of the class, Francesco Morosini, was launched on 22 May 2020. The third ship, Raimondo Montecuccoli, was launched in March 2021 and the fourth ship, Giovanni delle Bande Nere, in February 2022.
Based on a common platform, PPAs will be delivered in three configurations with incremental capabilities: Light, Light+ and Full. The first two ships are in the “Light” version and the third one is a “Light+”. The PPA “full” version will see its total displacement increased to 6,270 tons (compared to 5,880 tons for the “light+” version and 5830 tons for the “light” version). PPA “full” will thus be comparable to Italian FREMM type frigates (total displacement of 6900 tons). The crew complement of the PPA “full” configuration should be 173 people.
The sensor and weapon suite of these “patrol ships” is quite impressive, as the PPA in “full” configuration will be fitted with the Leonardo dual-band radar system AFAR (C and X bands), which provides missile defense capabilities as well as a towed and hull mounted sonar. The class also features an avant-garde “Naval Cockpit”.
The armament of the ship should include the SAAM-ESD anti-aircraft missile system with 16 vertical launchers for Aster 15 and Aster 30 SAM, eight Teseo / Otomat Mk 2A Evolutio anti-ship missiles, a 127-mm / 64 Leonardo LW main gun and a 76mm secondary gun with Strales / Davide guided ammunition, two 25-mm remote weapon systems, two 533-mm torpedo launchers. The hangar will be able to accommodate two NH90 or a single AW101 helicopter. At the stern of the ship there is a ramp to quickly launch and recover a 11-meter RHIB, as well as two so-called modular zones with the possibility of placing there a total of 13 standard containers for reconfigurable payload.
PPA Specifications
• 133 meters long between perpendiculars (143 meters overall)
• Speed more than 31 knots depending on vessel configuration and operational conditions
• Crew of 171 sailors
• Equipped with a combined diesel, a gas turbine plant (CODAG) and an electric propulsion system
• Capacity to supply drinking water to land
• Capacity to provide electricity to land with 2000 kw of power
• 2 modular zones at the stern and at the center of the ship that allow the embarking of various types of containerized operating/logistic/residential/healthcare modules (in particular, the stern area may receive and handle within a covered area up to 5 modules in ISO 20” containers, while the central zone may receive and handle up to 8 ISO 20” containers)
