Horizon Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Feasibility Study Contract Signature
Rome 22 July 2020 - OCCAR Director signed the Horizon MLU Feasibility Study Contract, the second Contract concluded with NAVIRIS the new 50% joint venture by Fincantieri and Naval Group. Further to the R&T Projects Contract signed on 04 June 2020, this new contract aims at identifying and analysing the modifications to be carried out on French and Italian Horizon Class vessels in order to maintain and possibly increase their capabilities and performances until their end of life.
The Horizon Class is composed of four vessels, the French Forbin and Chevalier Paul and the Italian Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio. Further to the nations’ mandate, this study has been integrated into the OCCAR FREMM PD, exploiting the synergies already existing and the high communality between the FREMM and the Horizon Programme.
Particularly the HRZ MLU Feasibility Study:
- Has the aim to keep an high level of communality in the vessels’ configuration in order to exploit the benefits of the cooperation;
- Will be focused on the upgrade of the AAW domain against threat scenarios identified by both Nations;
- Has the aim of identifying those systems (Platform and Combat System) which may be upgraded or replaced to maintain and possibly increase the vessels capabilities and performances, to treat obsolescence issues;
- Will provide studies on a TLM approach in terms of LCC, highlighting the impact of the upgrade on the cost of the ISS.
The Horizon Programme formed a solid foundation for the FREMM programme and due to this high communality, the FREMM PD has been chosen as the natural environment for this new challenging programme, also to exploit in the future the expertise that will be achieved.
This new contract represents a significant milestone for the Italian and French cooperation in the naval sector. In fact the French and Italian Navy General Staffs, the two national naval procurement organizations, SEGREDIFESA/NAVARM for Italy and DGA for France, OCCAR and the main defence industries (NAVIRS as prime contractor and Fincantieri, Naval Group, Thales, Leonardo, Eurosam, MBDA and SIGEN) are involved in this new project to achieve an ambitious aim.
From left to right: Mr. Claude CENTOFANTI, NAVIRIS CEO, Mr Matteo BISCEGLIA, OCCAR-EA Director, Mr. Enrico BONETTI, NAVIRIS COO, after the signature of the MLU Contract ©️ NAVIRIS
The OCCAR-EA Director, Mr Matteo Bisceglia has stated, "This contract represents an important milestone for the French - Italian cooperation and for the FREMM programme. The results and the know how that will be developed under this feasibility study for the Horizon Class, from which the FREMM programme has been defined, will have important impacts towards new future challenges such as the Horizon vessels MLU works, the transition to the FREMM full ISS phase and the possibility to develop a common ISS”.
The achievement of this R&T Contract signature has been possible thanks to the OCCAR-EA Central Office and FREMM PD Staff passionate work performed in close cooperation with NAVIRIS. It was succeeded despite the very challenging working environment, exactly after seven months since mandate given by Italy and France with the programme Decision update signed on 20 January 2020. This new challenge settles the FREMM PD’s scope enlargement in the framework of the fostered Italian and French cooperation in the naval sector.
To know more about the programme please visit our web.