Italy exercises option for fourth Type 212 Near Future Submarine

A graphic depiction of the Type 212 NFS. (Fincantieri)

Italy's Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has exercised an option for a fourth Improved Todaro (Type 212 Near Future Submarine – NFS)-class submarine for the Italian Navy under a contract amendment signed with Fincantieri on 28 June.

The contract-signing ceremony took place at Fincantieri's Muggiano Shipyard in La Spezia, where a steel-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction on the third boat in class was held the same day, the shipbuilder confirmed.

The scope of the latest contract amendment, worth around EUR500 million (USD534 million), includes integrated logistic support and in-service support for the fourth submarine. The agreement also exercised options that complete the maintenance and support of the first three submarines on contract.

At the same time, an engineering change proposal was activated that paves the way for the industrialisation, production, and integration of the new lithium-ion battery system that will equip the NFS-class submarines, starting with the first-of-class. The NFS' lithium-ion batteries are being developed by a team composed of FIB-FAAM, Power4Future (a Fincantieri and Faist Electronics joint venture), Cetena, and TÜV Rheinland, under the overall project management of Fincantieri, with the NFS contract being managed by OCCAR.

Fincantieri was awarded a EUR1.35 billion (USD1.63 billion) contract for the first batch of Type 212 NFSs (with an option for two more) via OCCAR on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defence in February 2021. OCCAR exercised the option to build the third unit under a contract signed in June 2023.