Yesterday, at the Riva Trigoso shipyard, the keel laying ceremony for the first of the four new generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) that Fincantieri is building for the Italian Navy was celebrated.
These new offshore patrol vessels, about 95 meters long and with a displacement of 2,400 tons, and capacity to accommodate over 90 crew members on board, will be suitable for operating in a wide spectrum of tactical scenarios and weather conditions, thanks to a package of technological solutions and standards of excellence in terms of automation and maneuverability.
The program, part of the modernization and renewal plan of the national naval instrument, provides for the construction of four units, plus two more as an option, with the delivery of the first scheduled for 2027. The total value of the first 4 ships, contracted by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), is almost 1.2 billion euros, including logistics support services.
The OPV programme responds to the need to ensure adequate presence and surveillance capacities, maritime surveillance, control of merchant traffic, protection of communication lines and the exclusive economic zone, as well as protection activities against threats derived from marine pollution, such as the spillage of toxic liquids.
Among the outstanding innovations, the integrated naval cockpit, developed for the Multi Purpose Combat Ships (PPA), of the Navy, the result of the collaboration between Fincantieri NexTech and Leonardo, which represents a generational leap. This station allows the control of the machines, rudders and platform systems, as well as some functions of the combat system by only two operators, the pilot and the co-pilot, optimizing efficiency and safety.
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