Fincantieri subsidiary Power4Future has completed final operational testing of its lithium-ion battery system (LBS) intended for the Italian Navy’s U212 Near Future Submarines (NFS).
The battery’s key parameters were monitored during the test at the Piedimonte San Germano facility, including voltage, current, and temperature during both charge and discharge phases.
It evaluated the LBS for safety, technology, performance, and adaptability to demanding operational conditions.
Operational Testing
“The LBS underwent rigorous technical evaluations to validate its capabilities, with the Single String Converter (SSC) directly linked with the modules string,” the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation stated in a press release.
“The test allowed the verification of the behavior of the SSC complex and the string during an operational mission by varying electrical loads, both during the battery usage phases and recharging, up to the maximum permitted levels.”
“The entire activity, in addition to assessing the functional capabilities of the constituent components, also evaluated the effectiveness of the battery monitoring system.”
Lithium-Ion Battery System
The LBS is intended to replace traditional lead-acid batteries, offering enhanced performance, safety, and sustainability.
Apart from the NFS, it also offers a technology leap for energy storage solutions during the mid-life updates of the Italian Navy’s fleet of four U212A-class submarines.
Near Future Submarines
A total of four U212 NFS and two NFS Evos are planned as replacements of the 4 Sauro-class submarines, commissioned in 1979.
The NFS fleet is expected to be ready by 2036, with the initial three NFS likely being commissioned in 2027, 2029, and 2032.
The vessel is expected to be 59 meters (193 feet) long and accommodate a crew of over 20.
They will be equipped with advanced combat, command, and control systems, long-range cruise missiles, and torpedoes.
Along with the Sauro-class, the NFS will perform a range of missions, including supporting freedom of navigation, anti-piracy, safeguarding maritime infrastructure, combatting terrorism, and joint multinational operations.
