Leonardo and Fincantieri’s Orizzonte Sistemi Navali has secured a contract to build a fourth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Italian Navy.
The 236-million-euro ($257.7 million) contract option is part of an initial agreement signed in August 2023 for three OPV systems and associated logistical support.
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali will award subcontracts to its parent companies following the order, with 70 million euros ($76.4 million) allotted to Leonardo and 163 million ($178 million) for Fincantieri.
Once operational, the OPV fleet will be used for surveillance, security, and merchant traffic control across Italy’s exclusive economic zone and lines of communication.
Additional tasks involve non-combat deployments for maritime environment protection and anti-toxic spillage operations.
The initial vessels are now being assembled and will be based across naval bases in Augusta, Cagliari, and Messina upon completion.
The Italian Offshore Patrol Vessel
The Italian Navy’s OPV will measure 95 meters (311.6 feet) in length and accommodate approximately 90 people.
The ship will incorporate modern automation and navigation technologies designed for austere weather and complex mission profiles.
According to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, the vessel will have a specialized naval cockpit based on Rome’s larger Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) OPVs.
This workstation will require only two operators, including a pilot and co-pilot, to fill the commander and bridge roles between surface and related aerial missions.
PPA Patrol Ships
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali facilitates Italy’s OPV program alongside the 143-meter (469.1 feet) class PPA or Thaon di Revel patrol fleet.
Launched in 2019, the initiative will integrate seven advanced platforms to take on the roles of the country’s aging Minerva-class corvettes and Lupo-class frigates.
This effort’s final vessel, the Domenico Millelire (P436), is scheduled for delivery in 2026.
