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Italian shipbuilder Fincanteri is eyeing up the SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme in Australia that will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) eight ANZAC-class frigates.

The requirement is for a military off-the-shelf anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship and Fincanteri will put forward a modified variant of its FREMM frigate that it has built for the Italian Navy.

A spokesperson from the company told Shephard that Fincantieri has ‘designed and built an ASW version of the FREMM, adapted to meet the RAN’s Top Level Requirements for CEA’s radars, two helos and 48 cells therefore it is thought to be a strong contender’.

Although not active in the RAN’s Collins-class replacement submarine programme, the company is expanding its presence in Asia with activities in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

In India Fincantieri said that it has taken part in the tender sent out from Mazagon Docks as a ‘know-how provider’ for the construction of the new P17 A frigates. ‘The bid results are expected in a few months,’ the spokesperson said.

In addition the company, in cooperation with Hindustan Shipyard and the Indian Navy, is preparing to bid for the construction of two mini-submarines (SOV) that will be submitted within the first half of 2015.

Fincantieri has also participated in the tenders for the construction of five new fleet tankers and for the construction of multi-purpose vessels for the Indian Navy. 

‘In this case, too, the request for bid is expected to be issued before the end of 2015,’ the spokesperson said.

This activity in India has been built upon the company’s success providing two fleet tankers for the IN and the company is providing spares and systems maintenance for those two ships. 

Fincantieri is also undertaking the propulsion system integration contract for the construction of the Indian Navy’s new aircraft carrier at the Cochin Shipyard. The company is supporting the installation of the propulsion system and arranges system tests. 

Furthermore, the spokesperson said that contacts with Indian engineering companies are ongoing ‘to create a design centre able to carry out activities for the Indian Navy and for the Indian shipyards.’

In Vietnam, Fincantieri was part of the Italian government’s official mission in November 2014 led by the under-secretary of defence, Domenico Rossi. 

‘In that occasion the Vietnamese Armed Forces and, in particular, the navy, expressed their willingness to cooperate with Italy for the supply of patrol vessels, more specifically OPVs and mini-submarines,’ the spokesperson said.

In terms of other markets, the spokesperson said that Fincantieri ‘is only monitoring the situation, because in the short-term there are no programmes which could interest the company’s activities’.

The spokesperson added: ‘Malaysia has recently cut its defence budget because of the flood, Thailand is not accessible due to the new regime which came to power, in the Philippines the corvette supply programme is the only open one, but Fincantieri decided not take part at the bid.’

The Algerian Navy’s new landing platform dock (LPD) Kalaat Beni Abbes is undergoing training and working up of its crew with the Italian Navy ahead of its delivery voyage to Algeria in April 2015.
The Italian Navy said the Kalaat Beni Abbes arrived at the Taranto naval base in southern Italy on November 17 after having sailed from the La Spezia shipyard, some ten months after the ship was launched and two and a half months after handover to the Algerian Navy.
The ship will now remain in port until the end of February 2015, while its crew attends the last and most difficult part of their training syllabus.
Training will be conducted by the Italian Navy at Taranto, where the Algerian crew has already followed initial instruction courses when they first arrived in Italy in October 2013. Training will take place at sea and in port and is part of a training package ordered with the amphibious warfare ship.
The Italian Navy said the Kalaat Beni Abbes’ maiden voyage took place in November, under the best weather conditions possible, under the watchful eyes of a group of Italian instructors and involved the ship’s commander, Colonel Makhlouf, and his crew in the first difficult sailing exercise. The vessel passed through the Straits of Messina in a precision navigation exercise.
The ship is scheduled to sail home after having completed testing of its missile systems in April 2015. The Italian Navy said it will provide the Algerian Navy the largest ship in its fleet and that training by the Navy makes the supply of new ships much more attractive for foreign buyers, and provides a positive image of the country as a system supplier, thus enhancing both the competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding industry and the prestige of the Italian Navy.
This cooperation has already produced its beneficial effects, since Algeria has shown its intention of buying a new minesweeper under the same formula that was pioneered with the Kalaat Beni Abbes.
The Kalaat Beni Abbes is based on the Italian navy’s San Giusto-class, and equipped with a FREMM-like combat system. It was ordered in July 2011 by the Ministry of Defence of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria from Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a company controlled by Fincantieri in which Selex ES also holds an interest. The vessel was ordered at a cost of more than 400 million euros.
Fincantieri said its most important feature is an internal floodable dock, capable of accommodating a ready-to-go 20-metre landing craft; two landing craft of the same size can travel attached to the ship's deck, and can be deployed using a system of davits. If necessary, the dock can be emptied to accommodate other types of vehicles.
The vessel can accommodate 15 main battle tanks or 30 light tanks or armoured personnel carriers. Five medium helicopters can be carried in a hangar. Armament includes Aster 15 missiles, a single OTO Melara 76 mm gun at the bow and two 25 mm cannons. Electronics include Selex Sistemi Integrati EMPAR radar, SCLAR-H chaff/flare decoy launchers and Athena-C combat management system.
The Kalaat Beni-Abbes is 143 metres long with a 21.5 metre beam and has a full load displacement of about 8,800 tons. With two diesel engines, it can reach speeds of over 20 knots, and carry more than 430 soldiers, 12 flight service specialists and 152 crew, for a total of about 600 people.
It has a full-length flight deck, with two helicopter landing spots, fore and aft. It is also equipped with a 60-bed hospital and several operating theatres, to provide medical support to both troops and civilians during humanitarian operations.
The order has required Fincantieri not only to build the main vessel, but also to oversee the design and to manage and coordinate the local construction of three smaller Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) vessels, built at the Mers El Kebir naval shipyards in Algeria. These support vessels are able to carry 140 men or a heavy tank, with a maximum weight of 30 tons, and are an integral part of the equipment of the Kalaat Beni-Abbes.

The announcement on the occasion of the launching ceremony of the “Pietro Venuti” submarine
Today, in the presence of Minister of Defence Roberta Pinotti, the Fincantieri shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia) hosted the launching ceremony for the “Pietro Venuti” submarine, the third unit of the four U212A “Todaro” class twin units ordered to Fincantieri by the Central Unit for Naval Armament – NAVARM for the Italian Navy.
Among others, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi, attended the ceremony. He was welcomed to the shipyard on behalf of Fincantieri by the President, Ambassador Vincenzo Petrone and the Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono, and by Giovanni Gorno Tempini, Chief Executive Officer of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.
Alongside the ceremony an important agreement for naval vessels sector was signed between Fincantieri and Finmeccanica, aiming at increasing competitiveness on national and international markets, through a more efficient and effective integrated offer by the two Companies. In particular, this collaboration will develop taking advantage of the technical and commercial synergies between the Naval Vessels Business Unit in Fincantieri and Finmeccanica Group companies (the subsidiaries Selex ES, Oto Melara, WASS and the joint venture MBDA), benefitting from their knowledge in combat naval systems, electronics and surface and underwater warfare systems.
Knowing that, by tradition, Navies prefer direct relations with the shipyard, Fincantieri will act as the only interface with the client, being thus able to appraise the entire offer of Finmeccanica naval products.
This agreement also envisages a collaboration on research and innovation activities, to maximize market positioning and to rationalize investments, even through the promotion of joint studies in the common sectors.
Fincantieri and Finmeccanica will analyze the opportunity of creating a common net of suppliers for base products and components, in order to achieve proper synergies and develop the technological excellences of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises, fostering their growth both in terms of size and as regards their scientific and quality development of the product.

TRIESTE (AGG) - Si è svolta oggi, presso lo stabilimento Fincantieri di Riva Trigoso (Sestri Levante, Genova), la cerimonia per il taglio della prima lamiera dell’ottava unità Fremm. Prosegue così il programma di costruzione delle Fregate Europee Multi Missione, la più importante iniziativa congiunta finora attivata tra industrie europee nel settore della Difesa navale. L’unità sarà lunga circa 144 metri, larga 19,7, e avrà un dislocamento a pieno carico di circa 6.500 tonnellate. Potrà raggiungere una velocità superiore ai 27 nodi e imbarcare un equipaggio di 145 membri, con una disponibilità di 200 posti letto. Si caratterizzerà per un’elevata flessibilità d’impiego e avrà la capacità di operare in molteplici scenari, particolarmente nell’ambito della sicurezza del bacino mediterraneo. Il programma Fremm, sottolinea una nota di Fincantieri, vede la partecipazione in qualità di prime contractor per l’Italia di Orizzonte Sistemi Navali. Attualmente il programma per l’Italia prevede la costruzione di dieci unità.

TRIESTE, Italy, June 6 (UPI) --Steel has been cut this week at an Italian shipyard for the seventh FREMM multi-mission frigate for the Italian Navy.

The frigate will be 474 feet long, 65 feet in the beam and displace 7,728 tons. Its speed will be more than 27 knots, while its range will be more than 7,600 miles at 15 knots.

Fincantieri, which is building the ship at a location near Genoa, said the frigate will be delivered to the Italian Navy in 2018.

"This is a highly flexible vessel, able to operate in a wide range of scenarios, especially in patrolling and safeguarding the Mediterranean area," it said.

FREMM frigates are the result of the European Multi Mission Frigate construction program, with both Italy and France producing the ships for their respective navies.

The prime contractor for the ships in France is DCNS. The first of class Aquitaine, was commissioned in 2012 by the French Navy. In Italy the FREMM is the Bergamini-class ship.

One FREMM frigate was built in France for Morocco, which is now operating the ship.

The prime contractor for Italy on the Fremm program is Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, which was established by Fincantieri and Finmeccanica.

The Italian Navy plans to acquire eight of the frigates.

TRIESTE, Italy, March 3 (UPI) -- Fincantieri of Italy has announced its delivery of a third FREMM multimission frigate to the Italian Navy.

The Carlo Margottini is 474 feet long, 65 feet in the beam and has a speed of more than 29 knots.

"Today's ceremony seals a corporate performance and a system performance that is absolutely remarkable," said Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri's chief executive officer said Thursday. "Thanks to close collaboration of the OCCAR program office with the Navy, today we can deliver the third unit to be fully operational in nine months, which allows the program to comply with the Italian Navy's tight schedule and its high requirements."

OCCAR is a European organization made up of a number of European Union states. Its purpose is to manage through-life issues of joint procurement of military equipment. The FREMM frigate is a Franco-Italian project.

Fincatieri said the Carlo Margottini was delivered with its combat management system in an anti-submarine warfare configuration.

Horizon Sistemi Navali, a joint venture company of Fincatieri and Selex ES, is building a total of 10 FREMM frigates for Italy.