TSAMTO, October 12. On October 6, the ceremony of technical launching of the multi-purpose patrol ship of the coastal zone PPA (Pattugliatore Polivalente D'altura) P435 "Ruggero di Lauria" took place at the shipyard in Mugiano.
According to Fincantieri, Ruggiero di Lauria is the sixth of seven PPA patrol ships currently ordered by the Italian Navy. Steel cutting for the construction of the ship began in April 2021.
As reported by TSAMTO, the construction of PPA ships is carried out by Fincantieri as part of the Italian Navy restoration program implemented since the beginning of 2015. Contracts for the construction of one LSS support ship and 6 PPA patrol ships (with an option for four more) in May 2015 were signed on behalf of the Italian Navy by the European Organization for Cooperation in the Field of Armaments (OCCAR – Organization Conjointe de Cooperation en Matiere d'Armement) with the RTI consortium (Raggruppamento Temporaneo di Impresa) formed by Fincantieri and the Selex ES division of Finmeccanica. In November 2015, OCCAR signed a contract with RTI for the supply of the seventh PPA ship, having implemented the first option to the basic agreement.
As planned, seven PPA ships will be made in three different configurations (Full Combat, Light Plus and Light), the displacement of which will vary from 5830 to 6270 tons. The ships will perform a wide range of tasks: from patrolling and conducting search and rescue operations at sea to participating in combat operations.
The launch of the lead ship PPA, P430 "Paolo Thaon di Revel" (Paolo Thaon di Revel), took place in June 2019. It was transferred to the Italian Navy on March 18, 2022. In October 2022, Fincantieri handed over to the Italian Navy command the second ship of the series, P431 "Francesco Morosini" (Francesco Morosini). Both ships were made in the Light configuration. On September 27, 2023, the transfer of the P432 "Raimondo Montecuccoli", built in the Light Plus configuration, took place.
Three ships are under construction. According to the schedule, one ship will be transferred to the Italian Navy annually in the period 2022-2026, with the exception of 2024, when two ships will be delivered (taking into account the full implementation of the option).
The length of the ship "Ruggero di Lauria" is 143 m. It will be equipped with a combined CODAG-type powerplant, including two MTU 20V800 M91L diesel engines with a capacity of 10 MW each and an LM2500+G4 GTD manufactured by Avio Aero/GE Marine Solutions. The estimated maximum speed is more than 31 knots, the crew is 171 people. An 11-meter high-speed boat RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) will be placed on board.
