As part of the Italian Navy OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) acquisition program, Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), the joint venture between Fincantieri and Leonardo, with respective stakes of 51% and 49%, has signed a contract with the Italian Secretariat General of Defence and National Armaments Directorate for the construction of three next-generation patrol vessels.

The contract also includes provisions with the option for a further three units as well as infrastructural upgrades required for the naval bases in Augusta, Cagliari, and Messina, where the vessels will be based.

🇮🇹⚓️ 3 New OPVs for 925 million euros
At a glimpse:
➡️ Part of the #FCX family
➡️ Length: about 95 meters
➡️ Displacement: around 2,300 tonnes
➡️ Accommodation: 97 crew members
➡️ Feauturing the revolutionary "naval cockpit" developed for the Italian Navy’s Multipurpose Offshore… https://t.co/T5hS4fQkMa

— DEFENCE ReDEFiNED (@Def_Redefined) August 1, 2023

According to a relevant announcement, the overall value of the contract for the first three units is 925 million euro, including the related integrated logistics support. Over the coming days, OSN will finalize the sub-contracts with Fincantieri and Leonardo, with a value of around 540 and 255 million euro respectively. 

The said contract for Fincantieri constitutes significant related party transactions defined in compliance with the applicable legislation. For Leonardo the above supply agreement, to be concluded between Leonardo and OSN, is a related party transaction of “lesser importance”, taking into account the contract value and the applicable relevance indexes.

Also read: Fincantieri and Leonardo | Strengthen cooperation with Elefsina Shipyards and Greek industry

The transactions benefit of the exemption from the procedural regime provided for transactions with (even jointly) subsidiaries, pursuant to current regulations and respective procedures adopted.

The OPV program in question addresses the operational need to ensure adequate capabilities for power projection, maritime surveillance, merchant traffic control, protection of lines of communication, and the exclusive economic zone as well as activities to protect against threats from marine pollution, such as spills of toxic liquids.

Italian Navy OPVs’ technical characteristics:

• Length: 95 meters
• Displacement: 2,300 tonnes
• Accommodation capacity: 97 crew members 

The other technical characteristics of the OPV have not been announced, but considering their class, specifically the FCX 20, they are likely to have the following characteristics:

• Breadth: 14,2 meters
• Draft: 8,4 meters
• Speed: over 25 kn 
• Range (with speed of 14 kn): 4500 nautical miles

The new patrol vessels will be marked by their integration of technological solutions as well as high standards in terms of automation and maneuverability, making them suitable to operate in a wide range of tactical scenarios and weather conditions.

Also read: Fincantieri | Agreements with Greek companies for the corvette program

One of the most innovative features of the new vessels is the “naval cockpit”, developed for the Italian Navy’s PPA-type (Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vessels, on the basis of a truly revolutionary requirement: an integrated workstation was designed, co-produced by Leonardo and Fincantieri NexTech, which allows the ship and aeronaval operations to be controlled by only two operators, the pilot, and co-pilot, who carry out the duties of the officer on the bridge and the commander. 

Indeed, from this station, located on the command bridge, it is possible to manage the machinery, rudders, and platform systems as well as some of the functions of the combat management system.

Also read: Elefsis Shipyards | ONEX – Fincantieri agreement on construction and maintenance of corvettes

According to Fincantieri, the OPVs in question belong to the FCX family of ships, the cornerstone of Fincantieri’s new global Defence offering, which happens to be one of the finalists of the ongoing Hellenic Navy’s Corvette program with the FCx-30 variant. 

The contract, through the relaunch of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali venture, further strengthens Fincantieri’s collaboration with Leonardo, reaffirming the value of Italy’s domestic economic system.

Also read: Malta | EU co-finances 75m Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)