Italian Navy Selects T.Mariotti Shipyard's Special Diving Operations-Submarine Rescue Ship

T.Mariotti Shipyard said it has been selected to deliver Special Diving Operations - Submarine Rescue Ships (SDO-SuRS) to the Italian Navy.

To replace the aging Anteo vessel with over 40 years of service, the new SDO-SuRS vessel has been designed with a modular design to accomplish multiple tasks in support of the Italian Navy’s diving and special forces (SF) units belonging to the COMSUBIN (Comando Subacquei ed Incursori) Command.

The SDO-SuRS will have the ability to autonomously conduct the search and location of a distressed submarines and rescue of its crew thanks to a new deployable rescue system allowing operations up to 600 meters and under development and procurement with a separate contract awarded to Saipem and DRASS, and the capability to alternatively accommodate a NATO-navies’ provided system such as the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) and Submarine Rescue Diving Decompression System (SRDS).

A contract will be signed by summer of this year. Steel cut for the first ship is scheduled to take place by the end of 2022.

Leonardo is involved in the project as a supplier of the command and control systems of the ship. Two companies from La Spezia -- Carlo Agnese and Exa Engineering – will take part in the restructuring of the logistic infrastructures that will house the hyperbaric simulator, a valuable technological asset for training an integral part of the supply and which will be located at the La Spezia military arsenal.