Leonardo and Fincantieri’s joint segment Orizzonte Sistemi Navali has secured a 925-million euro ($1 billion) contract to develop offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Italian Navy.
The contract will see the construction of three OPVs, associated logistics support, and infrastructural upgrades to the naval bases in Augusta, Cagliari, and Messina, where the platforms will be based.
Once completed, the new OPV fleet will enhance the Italian Navy’s presence, surveillance, merchant traffic control, and security on the country’s sea lines of communication and exclusive economic zone.
The vessels will also be used for non-combat activities protecting the Italian naval environment from ecological threats such as maritime pollution and toxic spillage.
“This contract rewards and brings together the best of Italian technology,” Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani stated.
“Leonardo and Fincantieri, through [Orizzonte Sistemi Navali], are able to offer state of the art solutions for national security. This is the fruit of a solid and prospective synergy. The Navy is guaranteed the garrison of a long-term capability.”
Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero added that the program further strengthens collaboration with Leonardo, “allowing us to focus on our ship system integration expertise and, in a broader sense, reaffirming the value of our national economic system.”
Italian Navy’s Future OPV Fleet
Each OPV ordered under the contract is 95 meters (311 feet) long and can carry more than 90 personnel.
It will have advanced automation and maneuverability technologies to sustain operability in all mission profiles and weather conditions.
Among the fleet’s notable integrations is the naval cockpit, a workstation requiring only two operators, a pilot and a co-pilot, to fill the commander and bridge watch officer roles in operating the ship and corresponding aerial missions.
Through this approach, the two-man team can oversee machinery, rudders, platform systems, and combat management systems all in one place.