On July 31, the Directorate of Naval Armaments (NAVARM) of the General Secretariat of Defense of the Italian Ministry of Defense / National Armaments Directorate awarded to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), the joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), €925 million contract for the design, build and delivery of the first three new generation offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) with associated ten-year maintenance. It also includes options for three additional units, maintenance and infrastructure improvements required for the operational bases in Augusta, Cagliari and Messina, divided into different lots.
The new OPVs, formerly known as PPXs, will gradually replace the two series of Constellation vessels, better known as the Cassiopea- (4 units) and Sirio- (2 units) classes, as part of the Italian Navy’s wider plan to renew the component for surface patrolling. The latter also includes the six Comandanti-class OPVs to be replaced under the UE PESCO Multi-Mission Patrol Corvette (MMPC) programme, also known as the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) programme. The nationally managed new generation OPV program envisages OSN awarding contracts to Fincantieri and Leonardo worth approximately €540 and €255 million respectively, pending approval of the framework contract by the Court of Auditors, expected in early autumn. According to OSN, the premium aircraft will be delivered in the first half of 2027 if the green light is received on the planned date. The program is planned to last 43 months; formal approval (T0) will give the go-ahead for the detailed design phase, which will last 11 months, leading to the first steel cut, with delivery planned 32 months later.
The new platforms
As a result of the close cooperation between the General Staff of the Italian Navy and the defense industry represented by OSN, the new ships will mainly be able to patrol the high seas, contributing to internal security and the protection of the national interests of seafarers in the open spaces, with a marked inclination to maritime interdiction operations (MIO), without neglecting combat employment profiles and additional tasks in support of the community, such as contributing to anti-pollution operations in the event of oil spills at sea.
To carry out these missions, the Italian Navy and Fincantieri selected the new FCX20 platform, whose hull design was developed in 2017-2018 and subsequently refined in 2021-2022 to ensure excellent sea-keeping capabilities, reduced drag and limited RCS and acoustic signatures, the latter characteristics being of particular importance to the “combat” versions. The design requires the platform to be able to provide full, unrestricted operation up to Sea State 5 conditions.
With a full displacement of around 2,400 tonnes, an overall length of around 95 metres, a maximum beam of 14.2 metres, a building height of 8.4 meters and a maximum draft of just 5.4 metres, to operate from a wide range of harbours. The hull design provides for a bulbous bow area and a fully covered berthing area to maximize seakeeping characteristics and provide protection from bad weather and rough seas, active mid-ship stabilizing fins contributing to operational capability in open sea conditions. A large aft area below the cockpit is available to accommodate inflatable floating tanks used to collect the oil recovered by the anti-fouling system, or alternatively and in the event of an emergency, to accommodate a large number of castaways who can be accommodated in the large hangar.
The forward superstructures are characterized by the bridge, followed by the combat operations center (COC) and dominated by the Naval Cockpit, which represents the main distinguishing feature and innovation derived from the PPA project developments, together with the extended bridge wings that provide virtually 360° coverage around the device. On the middle part of the main deck, between the two superstructure blocks, we find the RHIB launch and recovery stations and the equipment dedicated to anti-pollution operations. The stern of the new ships features a flight deck and superstructures that include a large hangar to house not only an NH-90 medium helicopter, but also an AW Hero-type Class 2 Unmanned Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) helicopter. flying vehicle.
The CODLAD (COMbined Diesel-Electric And Diesel) propulsion system is configured on two shaft lines, each comprising an 8000 kW diesel engine and a 500 kW reversible electric motor directly coupled to a dual input/single output gearbox and variable pitch propellers , while the rudders are of the conventional type. According to the requirements, the diesel engines together with the electric ones must provide a maximum speed of over 24 knots. Pace at base speeds is provided by electric motors, which must be able to provide a speed of not less than 10 knots. Maximum range is listed at 3,500 nautical miles at a speed of 14 knots, with a maximum mission endurance of 20 days.
To meet the different speed requirements and reduce fuel consumption and emissions, in addition to the aforementioned diesel engines and electric motors, the design includes an electrical power generation and distribution plant based on four diesel generators of about 680-700 ekW each, divided on two separate power stations. The layout of the propulsion and power generation equipment compartment ensures 50% of the propulsion power in a single compartment failure and 50% of the electrical power in a two adjacent compartment failure.
Automation and combat system
The new OPVs are designed with accommodation for 97 crew members, a helicopter/UAV flying squad and special forces personnel. Although the unit is designed with a high degree of automation to meet the requirements in terms of personnel in case of platform failure, crew rotation, mission equipment management, armament and on-board maintenance, the crew is set at about 70 elements .
To ensure similarity with the latest platforms of the Italian Navy, the new OPVs will be equipped with the same SeasNavy family of ship management system supplied by Fincantieri NexTech, together with other equipment and a damage control system of the latest generation. Among the most innovative features, the main one is certainly the Naval Cockpit, requested by the General Staff of the Italian Navy based on the operational experience gained by the PPA. An integrated station, jointly produced by Fincantieri NexTech and Leonardo, allows ship and air-sea operations to be carried out by just two people, the pilot and the co-pilot. Therefore, two naval officers can perform all duties intended for ship management and tactical operations. From this position, located on the bridge, it is possible to control machinery, rudders, platform systems and some functions of the combat system. Almost identical to that installed aboard the PPA, keeping the man-machine interface unchanged, the Naval Cockpit is part of a mini combat operating bridge (PLOC) featuring two stations with fully reconfigurable multi-function consoles (MFCs) to control the battle system ( CMS) which is the same Leonardo SADOC 4 used by all new Navy units. Behind the PLOC, as in the PPA, we find the Combat Operations Center (COC), which includes three SADOC 4 MFCs and large wall screens. As the ship was designed from the ground up to operate a Class 2 VTOL unmanned air system in addition to the NH90 helicopter, the mission planning and control station is co-located with the COC. Following the recent joint presentation between Leonardo, the Italian Navy and the Ministry of Defense of Seafuture 2023, AWHero is expected to be the logical candidate.
The combat system also includes a Leonardo-supplied communications package with Software Defined Radio (SDR) equipment in the V/UHF and HF bands, as well as civil/military SATCOM together with the Multi Data Processor (MDLP) with link 22 and link 16. The package of sensors includes a GEM Elettronica Columbus Mk3 solid-state 3D air and sea surveillance radar with integrated IFF, along with an Elettronica RESM electronic surveillance system, a Leonardo NA-30S Mk 2 main fire control system and two GEM Elettronica Gemini DBs in X/ Ka range radars for helicopter navigation and control. Day/night panoramic surveillance and tracking is provided by a Leonardo suite with two Janus EO turrets, while two Sitep Italia MASS (Multi-Role Acoustic Stabilized System) provide non-lethal close range protection.
Armament includes Leonardo 76/62mm Super Rapido and two 30mm Leonardo Lionfish with remote control on the side of the platform. The main gun comes in a Davide/Strales configuration with a multi-feed magazine and DART homing ammunition. The gun is also chambered for 76 Vulcano ammunition. Adopting 30mm Lionfish makes the service a startup client of Leonardo’s new weapon system, under development along with ABM (Air Burst Munition). The Lionfish will be equipped with a day/night electro-optical sensor and laser which, together with the gun and anti-missile munitions combination, will enable it to engage and neutralize challenging threats such as drones.
The new OPVs will be equipped with Solas 7 meter RIHB and 9.3 meter RHIB, which can also be used to support anti-pollution operations and commercial traffic control. To accomplish the anti-fouling mission, the kit includes two chemical dispersant spray booms located over the bow, an oil skimmer module for midship oil spill recovery, booms and buoyancy boxes to contain and contain spilled oil accordingly, and its storage under the cockpit.
The dual nature of the patrol/combat project.
The FCX20 design was also conceived and marketed as a “combat” unit, featuring a continuous superstructure with covered central boat accommodation areas to reduce RCS. It can also host a vertical launch system (VLS) for surface-to-air missiles VL MICA or alternatively CAMM-ER, both supplied by MBDA, located between the nose-mounted 76mm Super Rapido and the superstructure, as well as MBDA Exocet anti-ship missiles and the RAMSyS RAM close-in missile system over the hangar in addition to the previously mentioned weapons. As for the combat system, it is centered on Leonardo’s latest generation ATHENA CMS family, the sensor suite including a main radar, which for the “combat” configuration would probably be the Leonardo Kronos Naval HP (High Power), in addition to Elettronica EW launch decoy kit. Obviously, this reference configuration can be adapted based on specific customer requests.
Photos courtesy of Fincantieri
Comments are closed.