With the keel laying of the first new generation offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Italian Navy celebrated on 12 December 2024 at Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso shipyard, less than four months from the first steel cut on 24 September of the same year, the PPX programme led by the Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN) joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), has gained momentum, developing on budget and schedule for the delivery of the first-in-class platform in the first half of 2027
PPX Programme
The programme for the replacement of the two series of Constellation patrol platforms better known as Cassiopea- (4 units) and Sirio- (2 units) classes in service with the Italian Navy was launched on 31 July 2023, when the Italian MoD’s Naval Armament Directorate (NAVARM) awarded to OSN a 925 million euros contract for the design, construction and delivery of the first three new OPVs and related planned ten-year support. The contract also includes options for the construction of additional three vessels, the first of which was exercised on August 2024, alongside the infrastructural enhancements to operate and support the vessels from the operational bases of Augusta, Cagliari and Messina, divided into different batches. The first was exercised at the beginning of 2024 for the launch of the activities at Messina facilities, while the second followed on last December for Cagliari site. Augusta will come later on.
The programme is developing on budget and schedule, with the main project reviews including the System Requirement Review (SRR), the System Design and Critical Design reviews of the Combat System (SDR+CDR CS), and the Critical Design Review of the platform and the Whole Warship (CDR PTF+CDR WW) already successfully achieved, alongside three production progress milestones for the OPV1, said OSN to Naval News. In 2025, two additional production milestones will lead to the OPV1 launch, which Naval News understands, is planned for the first half of 2026. Three production progress milestones are also planned in 2025 for the OPV2. According to the programme schedule, the first-of-class platform is expected to be delivered in the first half 2027. With the fourth-boat option exercise, the overall value for the OSN JV is approximately 1.2 billion euros, including the related logistical support. Fincantieri’s contracts award shares is currently at 703 millions euro while Leonardo is 325 millions euros.
Platform
The new generation OPV design is the result of the close cooperation between the Italian Navy General Staff, NAVARM and OSN, the platforms are to conduct high seas patrolling operations, contributing to homeland security and the protection of sea line of communications and national interests in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The new OPV will conduct maritime interdiction operations (MIO), without neglecting combat employment profiles and complimentary task in support of the community, such as the contribution to anti-pollution operations in case of oil spills at sea.
To satisfy Italian Navy’s requirements, the new OPV design is based on an evolved version of the FCX20 platform from the Fincantieri’s FCX naval ships family, which hull lines have been refined to offer excellent sea-keeping capabilities and reduced drag, alongside enhancements to reduced radar cross section and acoustic signature of the platform, key requirements for a “combat capable” vessel. Another main driver of the new OPV design was the capability to operate in rough seas, ensuring full operations without restrictions up to Sea State 5 conditions. Among the innovative design features, the new OPV has the Naval Cockpit already introduced on frontline vessels of Italian Navy and a command and control room and equipment for operating unmanned systems.
With a full load displacement of about 2,400 t, an overall length of about 95 meters, a maximum beam of 14.2 meters, a construction height of 8.4 meters and a maximum draft of only 5.4 meters to operate from a wide range of harbours. The OPV hull design is characterized by bow area featuring a bulb and a completely covered mooring area, alongside active stabilizer fins amidships to ensure operational capability in high sea state conditions and rough weather.
The ship superstructures divided into two main blocks, the forward incorporating the Naval Cockpit and combat operations centre (COC) together with the extended bridge wings that ensure practically 360° coverage, while the aft block incorporates a large hangar for both an NH-90 medium-sized helicopter and an AW-Hero-type Class 2 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle. The ship stern area features the flight deck and an underneath area for mission payloads, the primary being the inflatable floating tanks to accommodate the oil recovered via the anti-pollution system or, alternatively a large number of castaways who can be hosted in the large hangar in emergency situations. On the main deck amidships are positioned the RHIB launch and recovery stations and the equipment for anti-pollution operations.
The forward superstructures are characterized by a bridge followed by the combat operations centre (COC) and dominated by the Naval Cockpit which represents the main distinctive feature and innovation derived from the developments of the PPA project, together with the extended bridge wings that ensure practically 360° coverage around the unit.
A large aft area under the flight deck is available to house inflatable floating tanks used to collect the oil recovered via the anti-pollution system or, alternatively and in the event of an emergency, to accommodate a large number of castaways who can be hosted in the large hangar.
The CODLAD (COmbined Diesel-eLectric And Diesel) propulsion system is configured on two shaft lines, each including an 8 MW (ISO 3046) MTU 16V8000M91L diesel engine and a 500 kW Marelli reversible electric motor, directly connected to a double input/single output gearbox and controllable pitch propellers, while the rudders are of the conventional type. The diesel engines together with the electric ones must ensure a maximum speed exceeding 24 knots, while the electric motors provides the operating speeds up to 10 knots. Maximum range is 3,500 nm at a speed of 14 knots, with a maximum mission endurance of 20 days.
The electric power generation and distribution plant is based on four Isotta Fraschini V1708C2ME5 diesel gensets of around 680 kWe each divided in two separate electrical stations. The compartment arrangement for the propulsion and power generating equipment guarantees 50% of the propulsion power with damage to a single compartment and 50% of the electrical power with damage to two contiguous compartments.
The new OPVs have accommodations for up to 93 personnel, including the crew which was set at around 70 elements to also operate the anti-pollution equipment and ensure continuous operations despite the hight degree of automation, flight and boarding/special forces detachments.
To fulfil the anti-pollution mission, the new ships can be equipped with a suite including two rods for spraying chemical dispersants situated over the bow area, an oil-skimmer module for the recovery of dispersed oil amidships, booms and floating boxes for respectively the containment and confinement of dispersed oil and its storage under the flight deck. The under flight deck area for mission payloads and the crane equipment amidships allow the OPV to be used for other missions including underwater surveillance vehicle launch and recovery and civil agencies support. An 9 m and a Solas 7 m RIHBs make the boat organic component, which is used to support anti-pollution and boarding operations alongside tender missions.
Weapons and Sensor systems
The new OPV is equipped with the same platform and combat system equipment developed for the Legge Navale (Naval Law) and already installed on board MCPS/PPA, LSS and LHD to ensure communalities allowing for maintenance and life cycle costs reduction.
Fincantieri NexTech supplies the SeasNavy Ship Management System (SMS) which provides complete internal communications and is designed following cyber security standard of Italian Navy, alongside other platform equipment while Martec provides the latest generation damage control system. The most innovative feature for an OPV is the Naval Cockpit requested by the Italian Navy General Staff based on the experience already gained with the MPCS/PPA. Co-produced by Fincantieri NexTech and Leonardo, the Naval Cockpit allows for the conduction of the ship and air-sea operations by only two navy officers (the pilot and co-pilot), capable to carry out all duties intended for ship conduction and tactical operations. From this position, located on the bridge, it is possible to manage machines, rudders, platform systems, and some combat system functions. Nearly identical to that installed on board the PPAs, keeping the man-machine interface unchanged, the Naval Cockpit is part of a mini combat operational bridge (PLOC) characterized by two operator stations with same fully reconfigurable multi-functional consoles (MFCs) of the combat management system (CMS). The latter is the same SADOC 4 suite provided by Leonardo and widespread on all new Italian Navy vessels, ensuring latest cyber defence service’s standards.
The communications suite is supplied by Leonardo with Software Defined Radio (SDR) equipment in V/UHF and HF bands as well as civil/military SATCOM receivers and the Multi Data Link Processor (MDLP) with data Link 22 and 16. Two GEM Elettronica Gemini DB in X/Ka band radars ensure navigation and helicopter control while the main sensors suite includes the GEM Elettronica Columbus Mk3 solid-state 3D X-band air and naval surveillance X-band radar with integrated IFF, an ELT Group Radar ESM (RESM) system for electronic surveillance, and a Leonardo NA-30S Mk 2 dual-band (X/Ka) radar/EO main gun’s fire control system. The same company’s two Janus EO turrets suite ensures panoramic day/night observation and tracking while two Sitep Italia MASS (Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System) provides shorter range surveillance and non-lethal close-in defence.
The active defence is provided by a bow-mounted Leonardo 76/62 mm Super Rapido in the Davide/Strales configuration with the multi-feeder magazine and DART guided ammunition (being fitted for 76 Vulcano ammunition) alongside two 30 mm Leonardo Lionfish remote-controlled weapon systems (RCWS) on platform sides. The new OPV is the first Italian Navy platform to adopt the 30 mm Lionfish RCWS, which comes in a configuration with Leonardo new 30 mm X-Gun and day/night electro-optical sensor and laser rangefinder suite, that together with Air Burst Munitions (ABM) by KNDS Ammo Italy, allows to deal with challenging asymmetric threats, namely unmanned air systems.
CAMM-ER medium-range missile
Based on Italian Navy request, OSN has completed in cooperation with MBDA Italia and Fincantieri, a feasibility study for the potential addition of the Albatros NG naval surface-to-air missile system based on the CAMM ER medium-range missile. The air defence system is centred on a C2 module which provides a number of functions, the primary ones being the threat evaluation and the weapon assignment, managing all the subsystems, including the platform data link terminal (PDLT) which provides the two-way communications between the ship and the CAMM ER missile, the firing unit providing power, target reference data and initialization impulses to the munitions, and a number of single cell maritime launching systems (MLSs). The Albatros C2 module is expected to receive target information through the CMS by the ship’s sensor suite.
Although the results of the study haven’t been released, Naval News understands the integration of the Albatros NG system is feasible but the limited space between the Super Rapido 76 mm gun mount and the ship forward superstructures would allow to add a reduced number of single cell MLSs. Some undisclosed platform modifications are therefore understood being considered to add a sufficient number of missile cells, twelve being the number under consideration without compromising the satisfaction of Italian Navy whole warship requirements. Naval News understood such modifications are being reviewed to be added on the follow-on class units but it will depend on available budget and concurrent programmes.
The Italian Navy’s surface patrol component currently also includes the Comandanti-class six OPVs that are to be replaced under the UE PESCO’s Multi-Mission Patrol Corvette (MMPC) also known as European Patrol Corvette (EPC) programme. The latter has extensive combatant requirements and will be based on a completely new hull design of larger displacement and dimensions with a full combat system which could include air defence and anti-ship missiles in addition to more capable sensors. The Albatros NG is a potential solution for the air defence missile capability available for the combatant version of Fincantieri FCX20 design characterized by continuous superstructures and a more powerful combat system including close-in defence missile system and antiship missiles in addition to the gun armaments all managed by a CMS managing a more capable sensors suite.
