Fincantieri delivers the Fremm Alpino

La Spezia - At the Fincantieri Muggiano plant (La Spezia), the Frigate Alpino was delivered to the Italian Navy, the fifth unit in the “FREMM” programme - European Multi-Purpose Frigates - commissioned from Fincantieri in the context of the Italo-French international cooperation agreement, with the coordination of OCCAR, Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation. The programme, for which Orizzonte Naval Systems (51% Fincantieri, 49% Finmeccanica) is the primary contractor for Italy, calls for the construction of ten units, all of which have already been ordered. Alpino is the fifth FREMM unit that Fincantieri has built and delivered complete with combat systems to the Italian Navy, and the fourth in the ASW configuration - Anti-Submarine Warfare - or the capacity to sail silently at a significant speed while hunting submarines.

At 144m in length and with a fully loaded displacement of about 6,700 tonnes, the FREMM frigates are an example of cutting edge technology: designed to reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and accommodate up to 200 people (crew and staff), these ships can ensure a high degree of flexibility and the capacity to operate in a broad range of scenarios and all kinds of tactical situations. The programme was created because of the need to replace the Italian Navy’s Lupo-class (which were completely decommissioned in 2003) and Maestrale-class lines of ships (which are close to the end of their operational lives), with the coordination of OCCAR, Europe’s Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation. Such units will significantly contribute to carrying out the tasks assigned to the Italian Navy with their capacity to operate in different sectors: anti-aerial combat, anti-submarine combat, anti-ship warfare, naval fire support, plus a built-in on-board helicopter component. The FREMM units will be the backbone of the Italian Navy in the coming decades.