Washington: In a boost to Italian defence sector at a time of COVID-19 pandemic, US Navy’s newest surface combatant has Italian heritage, the Navy announced on April 30.
In a major win for Wisconsin’s Marinette Marine shipyard, the Navy selected Italy’s Fincantieri’s so-called FREMM design, an acronym that stands for “European multi-purpose frigate,” in its original Italian. The shipyard, which is also on the hook for building the remaining mono-hull littoral combat ships and a frigate version of it for Saudi Arabia, is now a major player in US Navy shipbuilding.
The detailed design and construction contract, worth US$795.1 million, covers the design work and the first ship, as well as options for up to nine others. The total value of the contract if all options are exercised will be US$5.58 billion. The contract is expected to be rebid after the first 10 ships.
Fincantieri campaigned hard to win the contract, bringing the FREMM to the United States to show it off and work with US ships off the coast. The victory beats out challenges from Huntington Ingalls Industries, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works with Navantia’s F100 design, and Austal US with an up-gunned version of its trimaran littoral combat ship.
According to the Navy 2021 budget documents, the service is planning for it to take six years to complete design and construction of the ship, which should be finished in 2026.
The second frigate is expected to be ordered in April 2021, and from there it should be delivered about five and a half years after the award date.
The first ship ordered in 2020 is expected to cost US$1.28 billion, according to budget documents.
The buy was supposed to be one ship in FY20, then two vessels every year until the full 20-ship buy was complete. But the Navy wanted to make sure it staggered the buy more responsibly, said Rear Adm. Randy Crites, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget, in his rollout of the 2021 budget earlier this year.
