European Commission selects MMPC program for development phase

The Program Committee of the European Defence Fund (EDF) has selected the project for the second phase of the Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette (MMPC CALL 2) under the call topic “EDF-2023-DA-NAVAL-MMPC”.

The phase will be implemented through indirect management by OCCAR-EA in accordance with the EDF Work Program 2023.

The industrial proposal was submitted on November 22, 2023, by a Consortium of three European shipyards Navantia, Fincantieri, and Naval Group, together with Naviris, their joint venture, and Hydrus.

The goal is to continue the work of the EDF Work Program 2021 under the MMPC CALL 1 contracts which are currently managed by OCCAR-EA and signed on October 24, 2023, for a two-year period.

This next phase will be managed by OCCAR-EA as Granting Authority, under the powers delegated by the European Commission (EC), with regard to the EDF and as a Contracting Authority, in the name and on behalf of Italy, France, Spain, and Greece.

The new stage of the program aims, which now covers a four-year period of activities (2025 – 2029), to complete the Critical Design Review (CDR).

The development phase will include the production of at least two prototypes; one per version (Full Combat Multipurpose and Long Range Multipurpose) and to reflect a shared investment in the common security and defense objectives as outlined by PESCO and the European Union (EU).

The above-mentioned scenario aims in particular, on the industrial side, at building and structuring a common working environment and, on the national side, at studying and developing a common baseline ship with a high level of modularity, interoperability, and flexibility.  

OCCAR-EA will shortly begin the integration process of phase 2 to sign the new contracts (Grant Agreement 2 and Link Procurement Contract 2) co-financed by the EC and the four nations by 2025.