Saudi Arabia orders lightweight torpedoes from Fincantieri’s WASS

February 10, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Fincantieri, through its subsidiary WASS Submarine Systems, has secured a major contract from the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the supply of MU90 lightweight torpedoes.

The Italian shipbuilding group announced the contract at the 2026 World Defence Show in Riyadh. The agreement, valued at more than €200 million, is the largest contract ever awarded to WASS and follows a recent order placed by the Indian Navy. It also marks the first time WASS has signed a contract directly with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.

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Equipment & technology

The contract was signed by Andrea Adorni, CEO of WASS, and Ibrahim bin Ahmed Al-Suwayed, Deputy Minister of Armaments and Procurement at the Saudi Ministry of Defense.

Program management will be carried out at WASS’s facility in Livorno, Italy, with deliveries scheduled between 2029 and 2030. In addition to the torpedoes, the contract includes the provision of logistical support services for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.

The MU90 is a third-generation lightweight torpedo designed for anti-submarine warfare and is currently in service with the Italian Navy and the navies of more than ten other countries. It can be deployed from surface vessels as well as fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.

The deal forms part of Fincantieri’s broader expansion in Saudi Arabia. The group opened Fincantieri Arabia for Naval Services in Riyadh in 2024 and has since developed partnerships with Saudi institutions, including the Saudi Red Sea Authority and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Saudi Arabia is considered a key market for Fincantieri, and the latest contract strengthens the group’s position in the Kingdom’s naval and defense sector.