The delivery of the PPA – Multipurpose Combat Ship “Domenico Millelire”, built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy, took place in Muggiano (La Spezia).

The ceremony was attended by Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, Commander in Chief of the Naval Fleet, Chief Inspector Admiral Cristiano Nervi, Director of NAVARM, and Joachim Sucker, Director of the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement (OCCAR); they were welcomed by Biagio Mazzotta, Chairman of Fincantieri, Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Fincantieri, and Eugenio Santagata, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Naval Vessels Division.

This vessel is part of the renewal plan of the operational lines of the Italian Navy vessels, approved by the Government and Parliament under the aegis of OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation sur l’Armement, the international organization for cooperation on arms).

PPA characteristics:

The PPA is a highly flexible ship with the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to Civil Protection operations and, in its most highly equipped version, first line fighting vessel. There will be indeed different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for self-defence ability, to a “full” one, equipped for a complete defence ability. The vessel is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.

• 143 meters long overall
• Speed more than 31 knots
• 171 persons of the crew
• Equipped with a combined diesel, a gas turbine plant (CODAG) and an electric propulsion system
• Capacity to supply drinking water to land