Fincantieri cuts steel for Italian Navy’s first FREMM EVO frigate

Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri has held a steel-cutting ceremony for the first of two next-generation FREMM frigates of the EVOLUTION version, known as FREMM EVO.

As informed, the ceremony for the vessel being built for the Italian Navy took place at the Riva Trigoso (Genoa) shipyard on April 3, 2025.

The contract for the construction of the two new FREMM EVO units was signed in July 2024 by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture owned by Fincantieri and Leonardo, and OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement).

It is part of the multi-year FREMM program aimed at the renewal of the Italian Navy’s fleet through the construction of next-generation frigates.

The first unit will be delivered in 2029, while the second in 2030.

The vessels will feature the latest anti-drone capabilities and the capacity for the operational management of unmanned systems across three dimensions (above the surface, on the sea, and below the surface).

More specifically, the main modernizations and technological upgrades will concern the ship management system, the air-conditioning and electrical distribution system, and the implementation of specific solutions aimed at improving the ship’s green footprint for the platform system.

Furthermore, the combat system will be upgraded with the modern combat management system SADOC 4, radar sensors (specifically with fixed-face X-C dual-band radars), which will be able to support defense against TBM threats, electronic warfare, and artillery and missile systems. The ships will also have the sonar suite, communication systems, and tactical data links, capable of ensuring the “highest level of interoperability”.

According to Fincantieri, the new units will be advanced in terms of technology and performance, capitalizing on the important technological developments already undertaken as part of recent programs under the Defence Act, as well as the mid-life upgrade project for the Horizon-class destroyers.