“SPARTACO SCHERGAT” NINTH UNIT OF THE FREMM PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

Genoa, 26^th January 2019

The launching ceremony of the FREMM Frigate “Spartaco Schergat” was held today at the Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso Shipyard, near Genoa.

The Ship is the ninth out of ten Unit of the FREMM type (European Multi-Mission Frigates) ordered by the Italian Navy to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (Joint Venture between Fincantieri S.p.A. (51%) and Leonardo S.p.A. (49%) – acting as prime contractor for Italy within the frame of the Italian-French international Cooperation Agreement, with OCCAR acting as coordinator of the FREMM Programme.

The delivery of the last Unit for the Italian Navy is scheduled for 2020. The first FREMM, “Carlo Bergamini” was delivered in 2013, the others respectively in 2013 (“Virginio Fasan”), 2014 (“Carlo Margottini”), 2015 (“Carabiniere”), 2016 (“Alpino”), 2017 (“Luigi Rizzo”) and in 2018 also FREMM “Federico Martinengo”.

Godmother of the ceremony was Mrs. Anna Rosa Aonzo Grillo, daughter of Giuseppe Aonzo, the Captain awarded with the Golden Medal for Military Value.

Playing hostess was the President of Fincantieri, Mr. Giampiero Massolo and the CEO, Mr. Giuseppe Bono.

Among the others civil and religious authorities taking part in the ceremony were Mr. Giovanni Toti, the President of the Ligurian Region and the Chief of Stuff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli.

After the launch, the Vessel will be transported by sea to the shipyard of Muggiano (La Spezia), where it will be completely assembled and delivered. The FREMM “Spartaco Schergat” will be characterized, similarly to the others of the Class, by a high degree of flexibility and will be able to operate in a wide range of scenarios and tactical situations. The Unit is 144 meters long with a displacement at full load of approximately 6,700 tons, a breadth of 19,7 m and it is designed to reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and to provide accommodation up to 200 people.

The FREMM Programme represents the state-of-the-art of the Italian and European Defense field and derives from the necessity to replace the Units of the Italian Navy belonging to the Lupo Class (already dismissed) and Maestrale Class (which are reaching the end of their operational life) both of which were built by Fincantieri during the Seventies.