First Italian Anti-Submarine Warfare FREMM Frigate Delivered

The Italian Navy took delivery of the ITS (Italian Ship) Virginio Fasan, the first frigate in the anti-submarine warfare version, known as FOC ASW.

The ASW warship is equipped with state of the art ASW systems, including active and passive towed sonar, torpedoes and decoys launchers and a panoramic echo sounder.

This accomplishment comes as a result of eight months of qualification tests and the optimisation of the flight deck, with 34 sea trials used in order to demonstrate the reliability of onboard systems and to train the Navy crew.

The delivery of two ships, each with a fully integrated platform and combat system, is a great result for the OCCAR model which has proved its own efficiency in managing successfully a complex programme such as the FREMM one.

The goal was reached thanks to the enormous joint effort made by OCCAR-EA, the FREMM Participating States and the industries involved in this programme.

The Italian Navy is also expecting delivery of ITS Carlo Margottini at the end of February 2014, and launch of ITS Carabiniere at the end of March 2014.