Italian Navy’s next-gen minehunters revealed by Intermarine and Leonardo at Euronaval 2024.

At Euronaval 2024, Intermarine S.p.A., part of the IMMSI Group (IMS.MI), in collaboration with Leonardo S.p.A. (LDO.MI), showcased its Coastal New Generation Minehunters (Cacciamine Nuova Generazione Costieri, or CNG/C), destined for the Italian Navy. These advanced vessels represent a significant technological leap in mine countermeasure capabilities, equipped to protect Italian and allied interests in increasingly contested maritime zones.
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Intermarine unveils the Coastal New Generation Minehunters (CNG/C) at Euronaval 2024—advanced vessels set to redefine Italy’s mine countermeasure capabilities. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Under a Temporary Business Grouping, Intermarine and Leonardo secured a €1.6 billion contract with NAVARM—the Directorate of Naval Armaments within Italy’s Directorate General of Defense—to produce five CNG/C units. The contract includes integrated logistical support, with options that could bring the program's total value to approximately €2.6 billion. For the base tranche, Intermarine is responsible for €1.165 billion of the contract (73%), acting as the primary contractor and design authority for the naval platform, while Leonardo’s share stands at €430 million (27%), providing the combat systems as a co-contractor.

These minehunters, a culmination of dedicated R&D investments in innovative materials and production technologies, build on preliminary studies conducted after Intermarine's 2021 contract with NAVARM. These studies focused on de-risking and refining the CNG vessel design.

With a length of approximately 63 meters and a displacement of around 1,300 tons, the CNG/C is equipped to operate safely in mine-laden waters, utilizing the latest construction techniques to enhance durability and reduce magnetic and acoustic signatures. Each vessel incorporates advanced shock-resistant composite hulls, designed to withstand underwater explosions while remaining stealthy. These technical advantages, combined with the extensive use of autonomous unmanned vehicles (UUVs), enable the CNG/C to cover a wide range of missions, from clearing mined areas to seabed surveillance, thereby protecting underwater critical infrastructures, such as oil and gas pipelines and subsea data networks.

Leonardo's contributions as the combat systems provider include the cyber-resilient SADOC 4 command and control system, advanced radar and electro-optical sensors, a new wideband sonar with mine detection and classification capabilities, and an integrated multi-band communication and data link system.

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Positioned centrally in the Mediterranean, Italy relies on secure sea lanes to support uninterrupted maritime trade and military operations, making minehunters crucial for detecting and neutralizing underwater threats that could disrupt these routes. Additionally, the seabed around Italy is home to critical infrastructure such as oil and gas pipelines and undersea data cables, which need continuous surveillance and protection from threats like mines or sabotage.