UK Defence Forum

SuperAV amphibious APC for Italy - Italian Navy Update

Wells they might only have two, but they will be joined by two larger ships by the end of this decade for a total of four state of the art AAW platforms. The fact that they also have the land based SAMP-T in service and soon CAMM-ER will give Italy a pretty good land and sea integrated Air Defence Network, even greater if you add updated Typhoons with their improved AESA radars and Meteor. The UK MoD should take note.

UAV, Drones, Loitering ammunitions and more – Italian Armed Forces Update

The idea of launching UAVs/Loitering Munitions from a helicopter is nothing special, but recovering them on said helicopter is a whole new capability I was unaware of. Isn't this going to add complexity to the overall system as well as cost which will have to be balanced against a simpler system using expandable UAVs.

European Patrol Corvettes News - Italian Navy Update

I wonder how the EPC compares to the UK's T-31?

Less than half the displacement.

JFoulke wrote: ↑16 Dec 2021, 12:00 European Patrol Corvettes News - Italian Navy Update

Can i ask the source for the 4 each for Norway and Denmark? I knew they were only interested or there is already a number out?

Some other speculations:

A Greek user wrote how Cyprus would be interested in 2-3. No source, and I imagine the main problem would me the cost, considering the island has a GDP of 23bln.

I think a similar problem could be Portugal one.

It is nice how the program is gaining momentum and members.

I still don't know if the Romanians ended up with the Gowinds or not. If not the EPC could be quite interesting for them.

The Finnish Corvettes are delayed another year.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... e-program/

You never know maybe they could be interested in entering a design from developers that have already experience in place of designing everything from zero.

I really like how the Finnish are considering ships of bigger class regardless of their local strategic needs, after all they are in the EU. If someone blockades trade routes they suffer as much as we bigger countries.

I hope the Swedish follow the Finnish example when they will look for a substitute for their Visby class

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... or-sweden/

For Portugal and Cyprus would be nice if there is EU financing

With Denmark and Norway in the market it is a shame we didn't push the Leander 102 or 117 design with the UK , Norway and Denmark ordering 4 each

Reading the above, it seem the EPC is in-between the River B2 and a T-31. Italy surprises me as I thought they would have taken up the option to purchase more PPAs for the Navy instead and use the EPC for just their Coast Guard and Customs. The PPS is a good design and idea, especially with its three tier approach to mission capability and the ability to be lifted upo or dropped down Tiers dependant on how things are in eh Med/World.

Production has begin on the first of two U212 NFS (Near Future Submarine) for the Italian Navy - they have options for 2 more boats.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... submarine/

The boats are expected to be delivered in 2027 and 2029 to roughly coincide with the 4 Sauro class boats leaving service. A tantalising option on the horizon for the Italian Navy is the acquisiton of a long range strike weapon for surface and subsurface launch, although at this point the requirement is nebulous at best beyond a high level commitment.

Defiance wrote: ↑11 Jan 2022, 19:44 A tantalising option on the horizon for the Italian Navy is the acquisiton of a long range strike weapon for surface and subsurface launch, although at this point the requirement is nebulous at best beyond a high level commitment.

A potential customer\partner through MBDA Italy for FCASW?

Doesn't the latest version of the OTOMAT AShM give the Italian Navy a long range land attack capability already?

tomuk wrote: ↑12 Jan 2022, 01:29 A potential customer\partner through MBDA Italy for FCASW?

Potentially! I can't remember if they migrated Storm Shadow off their Tornados onto Typhoon yet, but if they have then they're a potential market for the Air sector, it'd make it that much easier to export to the Navy.

Lord Jim wrote: ↑12 Jan 2022, 08:03 Doesn't the latest version of the OTOMAT AShM give the Italian Navy a long range land attack capability already?

If the Wiki stats for Mk2 Blk IV are accurate then it sort of does. But 180km these days isn't that far and if you need to bring in mission routing, or your launch platform needs to stand off at a longer range, you'll probably start to find out 180km doesn't do what you need it to do.

Defiance wrote: ↑12 Jan 2022, 08:22

tomuk wrote: ↑12 Jan 2022, 01:29 A potential customer\partner through MBDA Italy for FCASW?

Potentially! I can't remember if they migrated Storm Shadow off their Tornados onto Typhoon yet, but if they have then they're a potential market for the Air sector, it'd make it that much easier to export to the Navy.

Lord Jim wrote: ↑12 Jan 2022, 08:03 Doesn't the latest version of the OTOMAT AShM give the Italian Navy a long range land attack capability already?

If the Wiki stats for Mk2 Blk IV are accurate then it sort of does. But 180km these days isn't that far and if you need to bring in mission routing, or your launch platform needs to stand off at a longer range, you'll probably start to find out 180km doesn't do what you need it to do.

I think he is talking about the Teseo EVO currently in development, that should have close to 400km of range, one of the version should be also created to be sub launched

Yes that is what I was thinking about and thought was already entering service.

SAMP/T Next Generation News and Development - Italian Armed Forces 01/22

These Italian Army Cavalry units are pretty well equipped and getting more so.

Nice to see ITS Garibaldi heading for Ex Cold Response 22 may be her last big outing as she is due to be replaced by the LHD later this year