With 7,500 kilometers of coastline, Italy is effectively surrounded by, and directly affected by the security in, the Mediterranean Sea. This is very clearly highlighted in the country’s multi-annual programming document (DPP, Documento Programmatico Pluriennale della Difesa) for its defence forces (2022-2024):
“Italy […] is highly dependent on the Mediterranean, both for the supply of energy resources and for the trade of materials, which contributes significantly to national development and welfare, generating around 3% of the GDP.”
Yet well over half of its fleet was commissioned in the late 1980s/early 1990s. A number of modernisation programmes have already been ongoing since the mid-noughties (with the notable introduction of the FREMM Bergamini-class frigates and the Todaro-class submarines), but it is really in the past decade that the Italian Navy has ramped up its activities, with Fincantieri involved in the vast majority of them.
Additional FREMMs
In relation to ongoing programs, Dario Deste, General Manager of the Fincantieri Naval Vessels Division, told Naval News that FREMMs 11 and 12 are currently being built and will be launched in 2024 for a scheduled delivery in 2025. These were ordered as a replacement to the two frigates delivered to Egypt. Deste also mentioned that in the next 12 months the Italian government should announce whether it will opt for an additional two FREMMs. Currently, according to the DPP, €95million have been allocated to the ongoing FREMM programme for the period 2022-2024.
PPX
With regards to future programmes, the decision for the PPX program (the future Offshore Patrol Vessels, OPV) is expected by the end of 2023 and the DPP indicates that the government has earmarked €758million for the programme.
U212 NFS
The U212 Near Future Submarine (NFS) programme is well underway, with the construction of the second one started in June 2023 and the third one to start in 2023, once the option will be exercised. The option for the 4th, instead, should be exercised by 2024. The DPP shows that €35.5 million have been earmarked for 2023, €167.9 million for 2024, €716 million for 2025-2027, and a total of €823.4 million to be subsequently disbursed between 2027 and 2035, the estimated date of completion of the programme.
Horizon MLU
As is very clear throughout the DPP, as well as in Italy’s contribution to numerous international naval exercises, the Italian Navy intends to maintain its ability to project power across its key areas of interest – which extend from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea all the way in the Indian Ocean. To this extent, a few days ago, Naviris, the 50/50 owned joint venture by Fincantieri and Naval Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of the four Horizon Frigates of the French and Italian Navies with a formal contract to be inked in the coming weeks.
DDX
Regarding the future destroyer programme (DDX) Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, controlled by Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), is carrying out the feasibility study contract and defining the future ships’ technical and operational profile with the navy. Currently two such ships are planned to replace the Durand de la Penne class with contracts expected to be signed, according to industrial sources, in the coming years.
LxD
Finally, the Italian government has earmarked €1.226 billion for the development of three new amphibious ships (LxD) to replace the three San Giorgio class units.
“The study is aimed at defining the characteristics of units of modern conception equipped with a capacity for wide-ranging logistical support, featuring high modularity and flexibility of deployment in contexts of power projection and support to amphibious and special operations in maritime and/or land environment.”
DPP (Documento Programmatico Pluriennale della Difesa)
These units will also contribute to HA/DR missions.