Seven new ships worth approximately 3.5 billion euros, of which 2.3 billion to Fincantieri and 1.2 to Finmeccanica. So much is the signing of the first contracts for the construction of the units ordered under the so-called Naval Law, the fleet renewal plan of the Italian Navy. THE SIGNATURE
Today – explains a joint note of the two companies – the international organization of cooperation for armaments, the Occar (Organization conjointe de cooperation sur l’armement), has signed the order for the execution of the contract with the temporary grouping of enterprise (Rti), set up between Fincantieri led by the CEO, Giuseppe Bono (agent), and Finmeccanica led by the CEO, Mauro Moretti, through Selex Es (principal), for the construction of six patrol vessels with an additional four as an option (Ppa, or multipurpose offshore patrol vessels) and for a logistic support unit (Lss, i.e. Logistic support ship).THE CHARACTERISTICS
These are – points out Milano Finanza – “innovative dual-use boats, both military and for civil protection and rescue operations at sea“. Furthermore, “they have a low environmental impact, through advanced auxiliary propulsion systems with low polluting emissions (electric motors) and control of biological effluents“. From a military point of view, the two groups – which with the joint venture Orizzonti Sistemi Navali also work together on the delivery of the last two Fremm units – will jointly develop the system called “Cockpit” which will allow, for the first time, to manage in an integrated way operations related to both ship management and combat system, with a reduced number of operators thanks to “augmented reality” techniques.LOGISTIC SUPPORT SHIP
Going into detail, reveal Fincantieri and Finmeccanica, the Lss is “a logistic support unit for the fleet also equipped with hospital and health capacity thanks to the presence of a fully equipped hospital, with surgical rooms, radiology and analysis, dental cabinet, and hospitalization area able to receive up to twelve seriously ill patients “. It measures 165 meters in length, reaches a speed of 20 knots and can accommodate 200 people between crew and specialists. It has 4 lateral and 1 aft refueling stations, capacity to supply potable water ashore, capacity to supply electricity to land for a power of 2500 kilowatts and the possibility to embark up to 8 residential or sanitary modules and act as a base for operations of rescue by helicopters and special boats.DEFENSE, TRANSPORT AND RESCUE
Among the capabilities also that of “rescue at sea, through recovery operations and on the bottom (the ship is equipped with a stabilized offshore crane of 30 tons)”. The ship is able to “combine transport and transfer capacity to other naval units of liquid cargo (diesel, aviation fuel, fresh water) and solid cargo (spare parts, food and ammunition) and to carry out at sea in favor of other units repair and maintenance operations “. Defense systems, on the other hand, “are limited to the ability to command and control in tactical scenarios, to communications and to dissuasive non-lethal defense systems. The unit is capable of embarking even more complex defense systems and becoming a platform for intelligence systems and electronic warfare “. Delivery is scheduled for 2019.MULTI- PURPOSE HIGH-SEA PATROLS
As for the multi-purpose offshore patrol vessel, on the other hand, this represents a highly flexible type of ship for the insiders with the ability to perform multiple tasks ranging from patrolling with rescue capacity at sea, to operations of Civil Protection, as well as, in its most equipped version, as a front-line combat ship. THE NOTE OF THE COMPANIES OF BONO AND MORETTI
According to the two companies, “different combat system configurations are foreseen: a” light “one relating to the integrated patrol task with self-defense capabilities and a” complete “one, equipped with the maximum defense capacity”. Furthermore, the unit is capable of “using fast Rhib (Rigid hull inflatable boat) type boats up to a length of over 11 meters by means of side cranes or a launching ramp located at the extreme stern. Features include: 129 meters in length, a speed of over 31 knots and a crew of 171. It is equipped with a combined diesel and gas turbine system (Codag) and has the capacity to supply drinking water and electricity to the ground for a power of 2000 kilowatts. You offer the possibility of embarking on modular living and sanitary areas.
