Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture owned by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and defence technology company Leonardo, has begun construction of the second FREMM EVO frigate ordered by the Italian Navy.
The ship will belong to a sub-class of the FREMM frigates originally developed by Fincantieri and French defence shipbuilder the Naval Group for the Italian and French navies.
According to the builder, the new FREMM EVO frigates will feature state-of-the-art technology, including anti-drone capabilities. The vessels will also have the capacity for operational management of unmanned systems across the air, surface, and subsea domains.
The anti-submarine warfare capabilities and features of some of the earlier FREMM ships currently in service with the Italian Navy will also be available in the FREMM EVO vessels.
The keel for the first FREMM EVO frigate was laid in July 2025. This ship is scheduled for delivery to the navy in 2029 while the second will follow in 2030.
The FREMM EVO ships are being built in fulfilment of a €1.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) contract awarded to OSN by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation.