Italy will launch the procurement process for two next-generation destroyers for the Italian Navy on February 18, with an estimated value of 2.7 billion euros ($3.17 billion).
The vessels will be constructed by Italian shipbuilder Orizzonte Sistemi Navali and are intended to replace the two Durand de la Penne-class destroyers that entered service in the early 1990s.
Designated DDX, the new warships represent a further evolution of the Italian Navy’s FREMM Evolution frigate class currently under construction, which itself is derived from the in-service FREMM multipurpose frigate design.
Vessel Program
The program’s origins date back to 2020, when a preliminary study was commissioned to develop and acquire the vessels.
The initial planning envisaged two years of risk-reduction activities, followed by the award of a production contract in 2023 and commissioning approximately five years thereafter.
However, difficulties in defining the operational requirements delayed the production contract by three years, according to Infodifesa.
Expected Features
The vessels will measure approximately 175 meters (574 feet) in length, with a beam of 24 meters (79 feet) and a draught of 9 meters (29 feet), and will accommodate a crew of more than 300 personnel, Defense News wrote in 2020, citing then Deputy Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Vice Admiral Aurelio De Carolis.
The ships are expected to achieve a maximum speed of over 30 knots (56 kilometers/35 miles per hour) and will be powered by a CODOGAL (Combined Diesel or Gas and Electric) propulsion system.
In terms of firepower, the warships are expected to be equipped with six eight-cell vertical launch system modules capable of firing Aster surface-to-air missiles.
The vessels are also anticipated to carry a land-attack capability, potentially through the naval variant of the SCALP cruise missile or the Teseo Mk2/Evolved anti-ship missile, which provides land-strike capability in littoral environments, according to De Carolis.
Additionally, the ships will feature a rear helicopter deck and hangar capable of accommodating two naval EH101 helicopters or two SH90 helicopters.
