Intermarine and Leonardo win contract for Italian Navy's next-generation MCMV programme

A graphic rendering of the future CNG-C (New Generation Minehunter-Coastal) concept. (Fincantieri)

Intermarine and Leonardo have been awarded a contract by the Italian Directorate of Naval Armaments for the supply of new-generation mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) for the Italian Navy.

The scope of the contract, announced by the two companies on 26 July and worth EUR1.6 billion (USD1.7 billion) in total, includes the delivery of five New Generation Minehunter-Coastal (Cacciamine Nuova Generazione-Costieri: CNG-C) in addition to related integrated logistical support.

The deal – which follows the completion of a risk reduction and project definition contract awarded to Intermarine in 2021 – includes an additional EUR1 billion in options to complete the programme.

Intermarine, whose share of the total contract value is EUR1.17 billion (around 73%), is responsible for the design and manufacture of the MCMVs, which will be built at its shipyard in Sarzana, La Spezia.

Leonardo, whose portion is around EUR0.43 billion (around 27% of the total value of the contract), will supply its SADOC 4 combat management system and associated weapons and sensors, as well as a new hull-mounted high-frequency active sonar.

Under current planning, the first two vessels are expected to enter service by 2028.

The CNG-C design is based on a glass-reinforced plastic hull with signature reduction and shock resistance features.

The vessel will have an overall length of around 63 m, a displacement of around 1,300 tonnes, and a top speed of around 13 kt. It will carry a crew complement of around 50. Ship propulsion will be diesel-electric, with two cycloidal propellers and two bow thrusters.