The contract between Fincantieri and OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) covers the U212 NFS programme. Under the programme, Fincantieri is building four submarines for the Italian Navy.
The contract is between Fincantieri and OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) and relates to the “U212 NFS” programme. Under this programme, Fincantieri is building four submarines for the Italian Navy.
The new agreement, signed by OCCAR-EA Director Joachim Sucker and Fulvio Palermo (Head of Project Management in Fincantieri’s Marine Division), extends the existing contract. Fincantieri will now undertake a greater scope of work under the programme; the contract is worth approximately €317 million.
Specifically, the submarines are to be fitted with new defence systems developed by WASS, a group specialising in underwater systems. WASS is also part of the Fincantieri Group. In addition, logistical support will be expanded to ensure the long-term operational readiness and efficiency of the submarines. The contract amendment also allows the delivery date for the programme’s fourth submarine to be brought forward by two years – from 2034 to 2032 – meaning that the Italian Navy will be able to take delivery of a new submarine every year from 2029 onwards.
According to Fincantieri, the integration of the new defence systems – which are to be deployed on Italian submarines for the first time – represents a further step towards enhancing the vessels’ capabilities. The initiative is in line with the company’s strategy to consolidate its leading position in the underwater sector – one of the “key pillars for the Group’s industrial and technological growth”.
“One of the key pillars of growth”
“This agreement confirms Fincantieri’s central role in the development of Italian underwater capabilities and strengthens our position in a sector of strategic importance for national security, defence and technological competitiveness,” said Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero. “The subsea sector is now one of the Group’s key pillars of growth; we have created an integrated industrial ecosystem here that encompasses the entire value chain – from platforms and systems to advanced services. Within this framework, the U212 NFS programme demonstrates Fincantieri’s ability to combine shipbuilding expertise, proprietary technologies and specialist knowledge, whilst drawing on the excellence that has developed within our companies and across the entire national industrial base. The bringing forward of the delivery of the fourth submarine to 2032 proves that Fincantieri is capable of translating innovation, industrial expertise and implementation skills into tangible results; this will enable the Italian Navy to commission one new submarine per year from 2029 onwards.”
According to Fincantieri, the U212 NFS (Near Future Submarine) programme represents a significant advancement over the previous U212A-class submarines and is characterised by a more sophisticated design, a higher proportion of domestic technologies and greater integration of on-board systems. Innovations developed by Italian industry – including lithium-ion propulsion batteries and the new combat management system – ensure improved stealth, endurance, operational efficiency and cyber resilience.
