Maxi contract worth 925 million, Cagliari base for Navy patrol boats
Gigantic order entrusted to Leonardo and Fincantieri for three new warships: one will be stationed in the port of call of the Sardinian capital
A gigantic 925 million euro contract for the construction of three new generation patrol boats for the Navy: one will be based in Cagliari, which is increasingly becoming a port for warships. Stably. And not only when the great exercises are underway in the Sardinian polygons.
This was announced by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, the joint venture of Fincantieri and Leonardo (with shares of 51% and 49% respectively), which signed the monumental (for the amount of money) agreement with the Naval Armaments Directorate of the General Secretariat of the Defence. The other two ships will go to Augusta and Messina.
The contract also includes the option for the construction of three more and for the "necessary infrastructural adjustments" in the bases. The price of the former, according to a note issued in recent days, is "inclusive of the related logistic support services".
The Opv program (Offshore Patrol Vessel, approved by the Chamber in 2022) «responds to the need to guarantee adequate presence and surveillance capabilities, maritime surveillance, control of merchant traffic, protection of lines of communication and of the exclusive economic zone, as well as protection from threats deriving from marine pollution, such as the spillage of toxic liquids".
The patrol vessel that will move permanently to the "base" of Cagliari, as it is defined, «will have a length of approximately 95 meters, a displacement of 2,300 tons and the capacity to accommodate 97 crew members on board» , and as the others will stand out "for the concentration of technological solutions, as well as for standards of excellence in terms of automation and maneuverability, which will make them suitable for operating in a wide range of tactical scenarios and atmospheric conditions".
The deal was commented by Leonardo's managing director, Roberto Cingolani: « This contract rewards and brings together the best of Italian technology. Leonardo and Fincantieri, through Osn, are able to offer "state of the art" solutions for national security. This is the result of a solid and prospective synergy. The Navy has the guarantee of a long-term capacity".
