Italian Navy receives seventh FREMM frigate

The Italian Navy has taken delivery of the seventh vessel of the multi-mission European frigates (FREMM) programme, Federico Martinengo, from Orizzonte Sistemi Navali.

The new FREMM vessel was originally launched last year and represents the seventh of a planned ten frigates that Fincantieri are currently building for the Italian Navy.

Federico Martinengo has been equipped with a combat system built by Fincantieri and is the third vessel to be delivered to the navy in a multipurpose configuration.

The Italian Navy previously took delivery of the first two FREMM vessels, Carlo Bergamini and Luigi Rizzo, in 2013 and 2017 respectively.

The 144m-long Federico Martinengo frigate has a displacement at full-load of approximately 6,700t and can reach a maximum cruising speed of 27k.

It has been designed to operate in an array of scenarios and tactical situations, and will be able to provide accommodation for 200 people, including crew and staff.

The FREMM multi-mission ship programme forms part of a major cooperation agreement between France and Italy.

A joint venture (JV) between Fincantieri and Leonardo known as Orizzonte Sistemi Navali is serving as the prime contractor for Italy within the international FREMM programme.

The navy’s eighth FREMM frigate was launched in February and is scheduled to be delivered next year, while the final two vessels are scheduled to be delivered to the Italian Navy after 2020.

The new vessels are expected to become the backbone of the naval fleet over the coming decades and will replace the Lupo and Maestrale class frigates, which were originally built by Fincantieri during the 1970s.