Italian Navy takes delivery of fourth Thaon di Revel-class patrol ship

The Italian Navy took delivery of a new Thaon di Revel-class multi-purpose offshore patrol vessel (Pattugliatore Polivalente d'Altura; PPA) in a ceremony on Wednesday, October 2.

The fourth PPA built by Fincantieri has been named Giovanni delle Bande Nere after a famed Italian military leader from the early 16th century. Like its sisters, it will be used for a range of missions including patrols, civil protection, and search and rescue (SAR).

The PPA has an LOA of 143 metres, a beam of 16.5 metres, a draught of 10.5 metres, and a crew complement of 135. Deck space is available for an 11-metre-long rigid inflatable boat (RIB) that the crew can use for at-sea interceptions and boardings. The RIB will be deployed into and recovered from the water via davits or a stern ramp.

A combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) propulsion driving two controllable-pitch propellers will allow the PPA to reach a speed of 32 knots while low-speed sailings will utilise onboard electric motors. The armament meanwhile includes 76mm and 127mm naval guns, a 25mm close-range defence autocannon, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship/land attack missiles, and torpedoes.

Leonardo-Finmeccanica provided an array of guidance systems, a combat management system, radars, a cockpit-style integrated navigation management system that can be operated by only two crewmembers, an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, a fire control system, identification friend or foe (IFF) antennae, and an advanced sonar that can detect divers and underwater saboteurs.