The Romeo Romei submarine launched

08/07/15

Last Thursday the Romeo Romei submarine, the fourth unit of the Todaro class (type U212A) and twin of the Venuti submarine launched in October last year, was launched at the Fincantieri del Muggiano military shipyard (SP). The Romei is the result of an important cooperation between Italy and Germany, started in the middle of the 90 years and consolidated over time.

The Romei is the 102a diving unit built by Fincantieri in its long history, and technologically presents itself as an evolution of the U212A class units (Todaro and Scirè). These developments particularly concerned the combat and communication systems, including the innovative broadband satellite capacity on the SHF - super high frequency carrier, which performs better than the previous one.

The new boat is also equipped with a latest generation ophthalonic periscopic system and an innovative weapon system, based on the new heavy torpedo of national production (Black Shark Advanced) made by the company WASS. As regards propulsion, the already considerable navigation autonomy has been further increased.

The unit is named after the corvette captain Romeo Romei, gold medal for Military Valor for the heroic deeds accomplished in the waters between the Channel of Sicily and the lower Tyrrhenian, during the Second World War.

Commander Romei (nicknamed by the opposing press' Il Corsaro degli abissi), an Italian Dalmatian from Castelnuovo (Cattaro, Montenegro), under the command of the royal submarine Pier Capponi managed to sink an English merchant ship over the course of six missions, attacking a British naval formation to then bring their unit and crew to safety, despite the relentless hunt by the enemy escort units. In the sixth and final mission of March 31, 1941, while surfacing off the island of Stromboli, he was hit by torpedoes launched by the British submarine Rorqual. The attack caused the sudden sinking of the boat and the disappearance of the commander Romei and all his crew.

At the ceremony of the launch were present: the Minister of Justice Andrea Orlando, the Chief of Staff of the Navy admiral team Giuseppe De Giorgi, the managing director of Fincantierti Giuseppe Bono, the commander of the Command Maritime North Admiral of division Roberto Camerini and the godmother of the launch, Mrs. Nicoletta daughter of the commander Romei.