On 23 October, at the Naval Support and Experimentation Center of La Spezia, Fincantieri launched its first “DEEP” underwater drone system during a demonstration mission. The event marks a fundamental milestone for Fincantieri in the field of underwater technology, confirming the Group’s leadership in the underwater sector and consolidating a clear and advanced path of industrial growth.
Fincantieri press release
The event was attended by the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Defense, Hon. Matteo Perego di Cremnago and Fincantieri’s CEO and Managing Director, Pierroberto Folgiero. Also present were the Mayor of La Spezia, Pierluigi Peracchini; representing the Liguria Region, the Chief of Staff, Massimiliano Nannini; the Chief of the Italian Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino; the President of the National Foundation for the Underwater Dimension, Senator Roberta Pinotti; and, for Fincantieri, the Chairman, Biagio Mazzotta, and the Director of Naval Vessels Division, Eugenio Santagata, and Executive Vice President Underwater, Gabriele Maria Cafaro.
The DEEP system is a cutting-edge integrated solution for the protection, development, and maintenance of critical underwater infrastructure and port areas, also performing monitoring and environmental protection activities. The system was designed from the outset with a dual purpose, capable of responding to both civil needs and defense and security applications. This versatility allows DEEP to operate in diverse contexts, offering high value-added solutions for environmental and infrastructure protection, as well as operational support.
The platform consists of a network of underwater sensors for early warning (Early Warning System), a Command and Control Center for real-time operational management, a team of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) capable of conducting missions at different levels of autonomy, cooperation, and coordination, and an AI-based system dedicated to data analysis and processing.
The launch of DEEP is part of Fincantieri’s strategy to consolidate its underwater sector, where the Group stands out for its ability to offer integrated, high value-added solutions, thanks to a unique industrial supply chain and cross-functional expertise brought together within the Underwater Technology Hub, which coordinates all activities related to civil, military, and dual-use systems through a unified management approach. Thanks to this integrated approach, Fincantieri is able to oversee markets and respond to the most complex needs of private and institutional clients, consolidating its pioneering and reference role in technology and industry in the international underwater landscape.
Today, the underwater domain is a key area for security, energy, environmental monitoring, and underwater communications, with a global reference market estimated at around 50 billion euros per year and an accessible component for Fincantieri of about 22 billion euros annually. Fincantieri aims to be a leading player in the development of this new strategic infrastructure, leveraging its ability to integrate complex expertise and high-tech industrial assets.
“The launch of DEEP is tangible proof of our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation ever deeper. Today we have validated an integrated unmanned underwater drone system that represents an innovative and concrete solution to the challenge of protecting critical infrastructure by using the best technologies available. This achievement is the result of the work of an outstanding industrial supply chain that enables us to anticipate market needs and position ourselves for the future. We are proud to lead this transformation, which makes a real contribution to the security, growth, competitiveness and technological autonomy of our national system, while also projecting us toward global leadership in the underwater economy”.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri,
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Accoding to Fincantieri, DEEP is a modular, scalable, and cyber-secure “system of systems” designed for the protection, development and in-service maintenance of critical underwater infrastructures, as well as for the monitoring and safeguarding of the marine environment.
The first DEEP has been installed for demonstration purposes at the Naval Support and Experimentation Center (CSSN) of the Italian Navy in La Spezia, integrating four key components:
- an acoustic barrier (Early Warning System – EWS) that acts as an alarm system, capable of detecting the presence of potential intruders within the monitored water volume and tracking their position. The EWS is based on state-of-the-art fiber optic hydrophone sensors and can be installed up to 100 km from the asset to be protected;
- a team of autonomous underwater drones (AUVs) for anomaly and potential threat detection, as well as for mapping the seabed and infrastructure. The vehicles are equipped with acoustic, optical and environmental sensors, as well as real-time computing capabilities;
- the command and control software (Underwater Management System – UMS), which integrates and fuses the data collected from sensors and drones, enabling rapid and effective overall management of the solution;
- an AI-based data analysis and recognition system, which enables accurate image processing and recognition of elements present on the seabed.
DEEP ensures the real-time protection, development and in-service maintenance of critical underwater infrastructures such as submarine pipelines, electrical cables and telecommunications cables. Furthermore, if installed in more confined environments, the system can perform the same functions for ports and offshore installations.
DEEP leverages Fincantieri’s advanced technologies and a national supply chain of SMEs and universities, offering a tailor-made end-to-end solution for both civil and defense needs. Its architecture is based on resilience, modularity and security (safety & cyber), ensuring operational continuity and adaptability even in hostile environments and under complex threat conditions.
