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2021-07-05

Fincantieri Bags Key Contracts

Fincantieri and the Ministry of Defense of Indonesia recently signed a contract for the supply of six FREMM class frigates, the modernisation and sale of 2 Maestrale class frigates, and the related logistical support.

The order represents a success for Fincantieri and for the country, which has a fleet of 10 FREMM ships. The agreement is of the utmost importance to strengthen the collaboration between two countries in a strategic area of the Pacific.

Fincantieri will be prime contractor for the entire programme. The construction of the frigates will ensure employment benefits not only for several Italian shipyards of the Group in the next years, but also for other companies in the sector, namely Leonardo, as well as numerous small and medium-sized national companies, and will see the collaboration of the local PT-PAL shipyard (Java Island). The modernisation of the two Maestrale class vessels, which Fincantieri will acquire from the Italian Navy once decommissioned, will also be carried out in Italy.

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “The acquisition of an order of this magnitude allows Fincantieri to also assume global leadership in the surface ships sector, and is the confirmation of the technological leadership of a project once again considered the most innovative on the market which led to 20 ships for several foreign Navies, between orders and options.

“This programme has an extraordinary strategic importance, both for the economic return for our country and for the Italian defence supply chain, and because it ensures Fincantieri’s strong positioning in the area, paving the way for the finalisation of further important negotiations for other programmes already in progress also in the civil sector. Finally, I want to acknowledge our Navy, which has made a decisive contribution to building together with the country’s industry a ship that is appreciated all over the world and which fully satisfies its operational needs.”

Building Second Constellation-Class Frigate for U.S. Navy

Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Defense announced in May that the Navy is exercising a approximate US$555 million option to have Fincantieri’s U.S. subsidiary, Marinette Marine (FMM) build the second Constellation-class guided-missile frigate.

FMM is currently working on the detailed design phase of building the first-in-class USS Constellation. Construction is planned to start at the end of this year with the frigate expected to be delivered in 2026.

The Constellation programme was awarded to FMM in 2020, through a contract for the first-in-class frigate and the options for further nine ships, as well as post-delivery availability support and crew training, with a cumulative value for Fincantieri amounting to US$5.5 billion. The U.S. Navy plans to build 10 additional vessels as part of the programme, for a total of 20.

Fincantieri succeeded in such a high-profile tender, distinguishing itself among several major U.S. shipyards thanks to a project considered as the most advanced and cutting-edge. The Group’s proposal is based on the FREMM frigate platform, globally recognised as the most technologically advanced, and the backbone of a 10-unit programme for the Italian Navy which Fincantieri is currently completing.

FMM is the spearhead of Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), which controls two other shipyards also located in the Great Lakes (Wisconsin) – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Fincantieri Ace Marine. The company serves commercial and government customers in the U.S., including the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition to the Littoral Combat Ships programme, FMM is building four Multi-Mission Surface Combatants (MMSC) to be delivered to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales programme.

The FREMM programme is a joint Italian French Defence industrial co-operation project for a new generation of frigates, having a common baseline, but differing from one country to the other as a function of different operational requirements. The frigates for the Italian Navy are built at the Fincantieri’s integrated naval shipyard of Riva Trigoso-Muggiano. The ships have a full load displacement of about 6,500 tonnes, an overall length of about 144 metres and a top speed exceeding 27 knots. The vessels’ endurance is up to 45 continuous days, while their range is 6,000 NM at 15 knots. The ships are designed and built following RINAMIL rules. The propulsion plant has a CODLAG configuration featuring one gas turbine, two reversible type electrical motors, C.P. propellers and four diesel generating sets.

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