Fincantieri Launched 2nd Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship ‘Francesco Morosini’ For Italian Navy.

At the Fincantieri plant in Riva Trigoso (GE), the launching ceremony of the second Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vessel (PPA), named after the Venetian Admiral Francesco Morosini, was held.
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Fincantieri Launched Italian Navy Francesco Morosini Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (Picture source: Italian Navy)

The event was attended by the Italian Navy Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and the Commander of the New Naval Construction Center, Captain Gennaro Falcone; for Fincantieri the company General Manager Alberto Maestrini, and the Head of the Military Units Division Giuseppe Giordo. The godmother of the ship was the engineer Carola Morosini, also from Fincantieri, who during the ceremony was accompanied by the designated Captain, Commander Giovanni Monno.

The Francesco Morosini was due to hit the water at the end of March but Fincantieri had to postpone the launch because of the Coronavirus crisis (during which the company stopped production at all its shipyards).

The ship will begin its “operational life” in 2022, after a further period of outfitting and crew training which will be completed at the Fincantieri Muggiano plant in La Spezia, under the supervision of the Italian Navy New Shipbuilding and Outfitting Center.

Italian Navy 1st PPA ‘Paolo Thaon di Revel' (Picture source: OCCAR picture)

The PPA 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-defense ability, to a “full” one, equipped for a complete defense ability.

The PPA (Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) patrol ship is 133 meters long and can carry 90 crew members with additional accommodations for up to 171 members. The ship’s flexible hybrid propulsion plant features small gearbox mounted-motors for low-speed operations, two propulsion diesels for mid-speed service and the LM2500+G4 gas turbine to reach more than 31 knots.

The armament of the ship also includes the SAAM-ESD anti-aircraft missile system with 16 vertical launchers for Aster 15 and Aster 30 SAM, a 127-mm / 64 Leonardo LW main gun and a 76mm secondary gun with Strales / Davide guided ammunition, two 25-mm remote weapon systems, two 533-mm torpedo launchers.