The French and Italian navies are to upgrade their Horizon-class frigates to counter the threat posed by new-generation missiles and drones.
In late July 2023, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) signed a contract with Naviris and Eurosam for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the Horizon-class frigates operated by the French and Italian navies.
The contract covers the upgrade of four Horizon-class frigates, Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio, operated by the Italian Navy, and Forbin and Chevalier Paul, operated by the French Navy.
The first of the upgraded ships will be re-delivered to the Italian Navy by the end of 2027 with the second in mid-2029. The upgraded French vessels will be re-delivered by the end of 2029 and end of 2030.
The major changes that will be made to the frigates concern their anti-air warfare missile and radar systems and electronic warfare systems.
The two co-contractors will work in close collaboration with their shareholders, Fincantieri and Naval Group, and with MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales for the new-generation Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) and Long-Range Radar (LRR). The value of the contract to Naviris and Eurosam is approximately €1.5 billion.
With the prime contract awarded to Naviris, the company was due to finalise a number of subcontracts as this issue was due to go to press, including one with Fincantieri, which will have a value of €211 million.
The overall aim of the upgrade is to enhance the frigate’s ability to counter new and next-generation threats and defeat the threat posed by hypersonic, ballistic, supersonic sea-skimming missiles, UAVs and highly manoeuvrable aircraft in a saturation attack scenario.
Forbin and Chevalier Paul (shown here), and Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio will be upgraded with enhanced PAAMS missiles and active electronically scanned array radars
Eurosam managing director Eva Bruxmeier said: “PAAMS and LRR have been deployed on all four of the French and Italian Horizon frigates, and on the UK’s six Type 45 destroyers.
“This new-generation PAAMS and LRR for the Horizon frigates, developed and produced by Eurosam through MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales and integrated jointly with Naviris, will make use of an enhanced Aster Block 1 NT missile, an upgraded launcher, two new active electronically scanned array radars (the Kronos Grand Naval from Leonardo and SMART-L MM/N from Thales) and a new open-software architecture command and control system”.
The Horizon frigates were built between 2000 and 2010 as part of a joint programme between Fincantieri and Naval Group, providing the Italian and French navies with new frigates with anti-air capabilities. The PAAMS and LRR were originally developed and produced by Eurosam.
The quartet of Horizon-class frigates have a length overall of 153m and beam of 20.3m. They displace 7,300tonnes full load and have accommodation for a total of 210. They have a range of 7,000nm at 18knots and maximum speed of 29knots.
