The Navy warms up Fincantieri with the third U212 NFS submarine
The construction of the third U212 NFS (Near Future Submarine) submarine for the Italian Navy has been approved in Parliament. The first two dive boats will be delivered in 2027 and 2029, with sheet metal cutting of the second unit scheduled for June 6th.
Green light from Parliament for the construction of the third new generation submarine related to the Navy's U212 NFS (Near Future Submarine) program and assigned to Fincantieri.
This was announced by the group led by Pierroberto Folgiero, specifying that now the program "will continue the usual administrative procedure".
The programme, which includes two vessels contracted in 2021, also provides for the related service support and the construction of the Training Center, and is managed by OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d'Armement, the international organization for armaments cooperation ).
Last December, Occar announced the signing of a contract with Fincantieri for the construction of a third U212 NFS submarine, also for the Italian Navy. As Giovanni Martinelli explained on Startmag , “The program in question concerns the supply to our Armed Forces of a total of 4 underwater boats. The first 2 were the subject of an initial contract signed on 26 February 2021 (worth €1.35 billion), including an option for another 2 submarines”.
"The NFS program – commented the CEO of Fincantieri Folgiero – sees us cover both the role of design authority and that of prime contractor and its continuation represents an important confirmation of Fincantieri's technological and managerial leadership, in full continuity with what has been outlined from the cornerstones of our business plan. The submarine is a unique strategic-industrial asset of its kind, which summarizes the highest standards that shipbuilding can express and which pertains to diving, a sector in which fundamental matches will be played also thanks to our vision of the future".
All the details.
THE NFS PROGRAM
The U212NFS submarines will be highly innovative, with significant design changes all developed independently by Fincantieri in accordance with the Navy's requirements. The program responds to the need to guarantee adequate underwater surveillance and control capabilities, considering the complex operational scenarios that will characterize the future of operations in the underwater sector and the approaching end of the operational life of the 4 "Sauro" class units currently in service.
THE ROAD TABLE
The first two vessels will be delivered in 2027 and 2029, with sheet metal cutting of the second unit scheduled for June 6th.
EVOLUTION OF THE U212A PROGRAM WITH TKMS
The project is an evolution of the U212A program, carried out in collaboration with the Germans of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (Tkms), which led to the construction of four submarines for Italy – "Todaro", "Scire'", "Venuti" and “Romei”, delivered by Fincantieri between 2006 and 2017 – and six for Germany.
The new vessels will be highly innovative, with significant design changes that will all be developed independently by Fincantieri.
THE TARGET
Furthermore, the program – reports the shipbuilding group of Trieste – will serve to preserve and increase the strategic and innovative industrial know-how matured by Fincantieri. In addition to consolidating the technological advantage achieved by the company and the supply chain, major industrial realities and small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector. In fact, the presence on board of components developed by the national industry will be strengthened.
DURATION OF THE PROGRAM
As regards the duration, the explanatory file attached to the request for a parliamentary opinion on the U212NFS programme, reports that the acquisition program for the third and fourth U212NFS type units is conceived according to a multi-year development plan expected to start in 2023 and with a total duration of fifteen years (2023-2037).
COSTS
With regard to the financial profiles, the technical data sheet specifies that the total cost of building the third and fourth submarines and the related ten-year technical-logistic support is estimated at around 1.3 billion euros, at 2020 economic conditions.
This activity is divided into two phases: the first phase, limited to the acquisition of the third submarine, the related initial logistic support and a share of equipment/systems for the benefit of the entire U212NFS class – which is the subject of this draft decree submitted to the opinion of the Commission – has an estimated value of 673.39 million euros and is financed from the appropriations deriving from the estimates of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT); the second phase – which will subsequently be the subject of one or more draft decrees, to be submitted to a new parliamentary opinion – for the remaining total forecast value of 659 million euros, aimed at the acquisition of the fourth submarine and the completion of the equipment/systems and to technical-logistical support for all U212NFS submarines.
THE TASKS OF NFS SUBMARINES REALIZED BY FINCANTIERI
Finally, the tasks that submarines perform are many: the purely military missions are joined by those relating to freedom of navigation; anti-piracy; the security of supply routes and data flow; respect for international law; the fight against terrorism; the protection of external borders; the safeguarding of maritime infrastructures, including vital off-shore and underwater infrastructures and, last but not least, the safeguarding of marine ecosystems.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/la-marina-scalda-fincantieri-sul-terzo-sottomarino-u212-nfs/ on Thu, 01 Jun 2023 04:34:02 +0000.