The Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere pulled into Dammam, Saudi Arabia, on May 5, on the return leg of her Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment.
Carabiniere is set to depart Dammam on May 6, after hosting a press conference on its deck and engaging with local officials.
The ship’s crew previously completed port visits to Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
The Bergamini-class frigate is on an ‘Italian industry showcase’ deployment to Australia and Southeast Asia which started on December 20, 2016. By the time the tour ends, the ship will have visited more than ten ports engaging regional navies in the process.
The deployment is financed by shipbuilder Fincantieri which is currently pitching the FREMM design for the Royal Australian Navy’s new nine frigates. ITS Carabiniere took part in the Australian Navy drill Ocean Explorer showcasing her capabilities to Australian officials.
ITS Carabiniere is the fourth FREMM frigate built within the international Italian-French program, coordinated by OCCAR (the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation).
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Finmeccanica (49%), is the prime contractor for Italy in the FREMM program.
The 144-meter frigates displace approximately 6,700 tonnes and is capable of reaching a speed of over 27 knots with accommodation for a 200-person crew.