The frigate Emilio Bianchi, the last in a series of ten Italian Navy’s FREMM (European multi-mission) frigates, was launched at Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso integrated shipyard in Italy.
As informed, the ceremony took place on May 25, 2024. The new frigates are being built under the Italian-French international cooperation agreement, under the coordination of OCCAR, the joint organization for European cooperation in armaments.
Following the launch, the unit will continue outfitting activities at the Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia and will be delivered in 2025.
Emilio Bianchi will be characterized, like the other FREMMs, by high deployment flexibility and will have the ability to operate in all tactical situations, according to Fincantieri.
The vessel has a length of 144 meters, a width of 19.7 meters, and a full load displacement of about 6,700 tons. It will be able to reach a speed of more than 27 knots with a maximum capacity of about 200 embarked personnel.
In the naval defense sector, FREMM frigate is the most important joint initiative developed among European industries.
“The FREMM program, which represents the state of the art in Italian and European defense, stems from the need to renew the line of Navy units, including the “Lupo” and “Maestrale” classes, built by Fincantieri in the 1970s and 1980s,” Fincantieri noted.
Carlo Bergamini was delivered in 2012, Virginio Fasan in 2013, Carlo Margottini in 2014, Carabiniere in 2015, Alpino in 2016, Luigi Rizzo in 2017, Federico Martinengo in 2018, Antonio Marceglia in 2019, and Spartaco Schergat currently under construction at the Muggiano factory and whose delivery is scheduled for April 2025.