Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has signed a contract amendment with OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) under the U212 NFS (Near Future Submarine) program, related to the construction of four next-generation submarines currently being built by the company for the Italian Navy at the Integrated Shipyard of Muggiano.
The agreement, signed by Joachim Sucker , Director of OCCAR-EA and by Fulvio Palermo , Head of Project Management of Fincantieri’s Naval Vessels Division, is worth approximately €317 million and extends the scope of activities assigned to Fincantieri under the program.
The amendment includes the introduction of new technological capabilities through the integration of countermeasure systems developed by WASS, Fincantieri’s company specialized in advanced underwater systems. It also includes enhancement of logistics support activities aimed at ensuring the long-term operational availability and efficiency of the submarines.
The contract amendment will further allow the delivery of the program’s fourth submarine to be brought forward by two years, from 2034 to 2032, enabling the Italian Navy to receive one new submarine per year starting in 2029, according to Fincantieri.
The integration of the new WASS-developed countermeasure solutions, to be adopted for the first time aboard Italy’s national submarines, represents a further step forward in enhancing the operational capabilities of the vessels. At the same time, the strengthening of the logistics support package confirms Fincantieri’s ability to support the Italian Navy throughout the entire lifecycle of the submarines, it was highlighted.
“ This agreement confirms Fincantieri’s central role in developing Italy’s underwater capabilities and further strengthens our positioning in a strategic domain for national security, defense and technological competitiveness. The underwater sector is today one of the Group’s main growth pillars, where we have established an integrated industrial ecosystem spanning the entire value chain, from platforms and systems to advanced services ,” Pierroberto Folgiero , Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented.
“Bringing forward the delivery of the fourth submarine to 2032 demonstrates Fincantieri’s ability to translate innovation, industrial expertise and execution capability into tangible results, enabling the Italian Navy to receive one new submarine every year starting in 2029.”
The U212 NFS program represents a significant evolution compared with the previous U212A-class submarines, featuring a more mature design, a higher level of national technological content and greater integration of onboard systems. Innovations developed by the Italian industry, including lithium-ion propulsion batteries and the new combat management system, will provide enhanced stealth, endurance, operational efficiency and cyber resilience, Fincantieri said.
In December last year, the first steel was cut for the fourth U212 NFS submarine.