International joint armament cooperation organisation OCCAR has awarded a consortium led by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri a contract for the construction of a second Vulcano-class logistic support ship (LSS) for the Italian Navy.
The contract awarded to the Raggruppamento Temporaneo di Impresa (RTI) consortium also includes an option for a third ship.
As with class lead ship Vulcano (pictured), the second LSS will be built entirely at Fincantieri's Castellammare di Stabia shipyard 30 kilometres southeast of Naples. Delivery is scheduled for 2025.
The value of the contract is approximately €410 million (US$462.4 million), which also covers the vessel's combat system.
The LSS will operate primarily as a supply and at-sea replenishment vessel that can transport ammunition, spare parts, food, fresh water, diesel, and aviation fuel in support of deployed Italian Navy task forces. It will also be equipped with hospital facilities including operating rooms, radiology and analysis rooms, a dental clinic, and rooms that can house up to 17 seriously injured patients.
Other missions will include search and rescue (SAR), vessel repair and maintenance, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, and at-sea retrieval and salvage.
The vessel will have a length of 193 metres, space for 235 crew and other specialists, and a speed of 20 knots.
