Steel Cut On Two New Italian FREMM Frigates

Construction work has commenced on two next-generation “FREMM EVO” frigates being built via OCCAR for the Italian Navy in a partnership between Fincantieri and Leonardo.

Steel has been cut for the two new ships for the Marina Militare at the firm’s Riva Trigoso shipyard in Genoa, as per a recent Fincantieri press statement.

The programme is being managed by joint arms group OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d'ARmement, or Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation). In July last year it signed a deal to build the vessels with Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture owned by Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%).

The ceremonial start to construction at the start of the month was attended by a host of dignitaries including the Director of NAVARM, the Naval Armaments Directorate Admiral Chief Inspector Giuseppe Abbamonte, and the CEO of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, Giovanni Sorrentino, Fulvio Palermo, Head of Project Management of the Fincantieri Naval Vessels Division.

The two new FREMM EVO frigates destined for the Italian Navy are scheduled to be delivered in 2029 and 2030, respectively.

The press statement noted the new ships will boast “the latest anti-drone capabilities” and the ability to operationally manage its own uncrewed systems above, on, and below the water.

So far the FREMM programme has delivered 16 frigates: eight out of 12 to the Italian Navy, and eight to France. The ninth and the tenth Italian frigates, the future ITS Schergat and ITS Bianchi, will be delivered imminently in mid-April and at the end of July 2025, respectively, as per OCCAR.

• You can read more details on the Fincantieri website and the OCCAR website