FREMM "Alpino" delivered to the Italian Navy

(To Fincantieri / Leonardo)
30/09/16

Today, at the Fincantieri plant in Muggiano (La Spezia), the "Alpino" frigate, the fifth unit of the FREMM program, was delivered to the Navy. European Multi Mission Frigates - commissioned to Fincantieri as part of the Italian-French international cooperation agreement, coordinated by OCCAR, the joint organization for European cooperation in the field of armaments. The program, of which Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (51% Fincantieri, 49% Finmeccanica) is prime contractor for Italy, it envisages the construction of ten units, all of which have already been ordered to date.

"Alpino" is the fifth FREMM unit that Fincantieri realizes and fully delivers the combat system to the Navy, the fourth in ASW configuration - Anti Submarine Warfare, that is the ability of silent navigation at significant speeds in antisubmarine hunting.

With 144 meters long and a full load displacement of around 6.700 tons, the FREMM frigates represent a technological excellence: designed to reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and accommodate up to 200 people (crew and personnel), these ships are in able to always guarantee a high degree of flexibility and the ability to operate in a wide spectrum of scenarios and all tactical situations.

The program stems from the need to renew the line of units of the Lupo Navy class (disarmament completed in 2003) and Mistral (close to reaching the operational life limit), with the coordination of OCCAR, the joint cooperation organization European Armament Council.

These units make a decisive contribution to carrying out the tasks assigned to the Navy by possessing operational capabilities in various sectors: anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-ship, fire support from the sea as well as an organic helicopter component embarked. The FREMMs are destined to constitute the "backbone" of the Navy in the coming decades.

Leonardo contributes to the FREMM program with the supply of numerous systems and equipment, also through the company MBDA (participated in 25%). In particular for ship Alpine Leonardo is responsible for supplying the Combat Management System, radar sensors, communication, electro-optical and navigation systems.

The company also supplied two 76 / 62mm complexes Super Quick using the new Davide / Dart system (guided ammunition capable of tracking the trajectory of targets), the anti-mine sonar system (Mine Avoidance Sonar) and that for the management and launch of torpedoes.

MBDA Italia supplies the SAAM ESD anti-aircraft defense system, based on missiles Aster 15 e Aster 30, and the anti-ship system Teseo MK2 / A, based on missile Teseo. Leonardo is also responsible for integrating the entire combat system, including electronic warfare.