March 13, the launch of the third Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ship (PPA) “Raimondo Montecuccoli” took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Riva Trigoso (Genoa).
The ceremony, held in a restricted format and in full compliance with anti-contagion requirements, was attended by Sen. Stefania Pucciarelli, the Italian Undersecretary of Defence representing the Minister Lorenzo Guerini, Adm. Eduardo Serra, Italian Navy Logistic Commander, and Giuseppe Giordo, General manager of the Naval Vessel division of Fincantieri.
Godmother of the ship was Mrs. Anna Maria Pugliese, daughter of Admiral Stefano Pugliese, who was Commander of the light cruiser “Montecuccoli”, which entered into service in 1935 and was uncommissioned from the Italian Navy fleet in 1964.
This vessel, third of seven, will be delivered in 2023 and it is part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament and started in May 2015 (“Naval Act”) under the aegis of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement, the international organization for cooperation on arms).
Vessel’s characteristics: PPA – Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship
The multipurpose offshore patrol vessel is a highly flexible ship with the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to Civil Protection operations and, in its most highly equipped version, first line fighting vessel. There will be indeed different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for self-defence ability, to a “full” one, equipped for a complete defence ability. The vessel is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.
•133 meters long
•Speed more than 31 knots according to vessel configuration and operational conditions
•171 persons of the crew
•Equipped with a combined diesel, a gas turbine plant (CODAG) and an electric propulsion system
•Capacity to supply drinking water to land
The Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ships will be built at the Integrated Shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with deliveries expected until 2026.
Source: Fincantieri