On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Italian company Fincantieri – Cantieri Navali Italiani announced that it had taken the lead of a temporary consortium with Leonardo Group and, on behalf of the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (Organisation conjointe de coopération en matière d’armement, OCCAR), acting for the Italian Ministry of Defense, would upgrade the MPCS/PPA (Multipurpose Combat Ship/Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) multipurpose missile frigates for the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) from the Light/Light+ configuration to Full.
Photo: Fincantieri – Cantieri Navali Italiani
The relevant agreement was signed by OCCAR-EA (Executive Administration) Director Joachim Sucker and Fulvio Palermo, Project Management Manager in Fincantieri’s Naval Vessels Division, representing the temporary consortium formed by Fincantieri and Leonardo.
The agreement provides for the implementation of the necessary adaptation measures that will enable the upgrade of MPCS/PPA ships from the Light and Light+ configurations to the Full Combat System configuration, as well as the introduction of advanced cyber defense capabilities. The total value of the work, in Fincantieri’s case, is approximately 62 million EUR.
The work, coordinated by Fincantieri, will cover both ships already delivered and units currently under construction and outfitting, ensuring that the entire PPA class is brought up to the most advanced operational configuration. These will therefore include ITS Paolo Thaon di Revel (P430) in the Light configuration, Francesco Morosini (P431) in the Light configuration, and Raimondo Montecuccoli (P432) in the Light+ configuration, while additional cyber protection measures will be installed on Giovanni delle Bande Nere (P434) in the Full configuration and Domenico Millelire (P436) in the Full configuration, which was scheduled for delivery in August of this year. Also under construction are two future ships in the Full configuration: Marcantonio Colonna (P433) and Ruggiero di Lauria (P435), which will replace the pair of units resold to Indonesia.
The 143-meter ships displace 5,830 tonnes in the Light configuration and 5,880 tonnes in Light+, while in the Full configuration they displace 6,270 metric tons.
The differences in displacement result from the weapons and equipment configuration. The Light configuration includes only artillery armament: single OTO Melara 127 mm/64 Vulcano and OTO Melara 76 mm/62 Strales Sovraponte naval guns, two OTO Melara Oerlikon KBA B06 25 mm mounts, and a 4FF X-band radar.
The Light+ configuration, with a 4FF C-band radar, and the Full configuration, with both C-band and SPS-732 RAN 30X/I X-band radars, also include two eight-cell SYLVER-family vertical launch systems for Aster 15 and Aster 30 Block 1NT anti-aircraft and anti-missile missiles and MdCN cruise missiles, as well as TESEO Otomat Mk2 anti-ship missile launchers. The Full configuration will also receive the Teseo MK2/Evolved system and two triple ASW torpedo launchers. The modular design of the MPCS/PPA allows the Light and Light+ configurations to be upgraded to Full.
In addition, all ships have a CODAGOL (Combined Diesel and Gas or Electric) propulsion system, consisting of one General Electric/Avio LM2500+G4 gas turbine with an output of 32,000 kW (43,000 hp), two MTU 20V 8000 M91L diesel engines rated at 10,000 kW (13,000 hp) each, two MAN GenSets 12V175D-MEM diesel generators rated at 1,640 kW (2,200 hp) each, two Isotta Fraschini 16V170C2ME backup diesel generators, two electric motors rated at 1,350 kW each, and one 550 kW (740 hp) thruster. Power transmitted to two shafts and propellers provides a maximum speed of 31.6 knots and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. The crew numbers 171 officers and sailors, with the possibility of embarking an additional 30 personnel. The ships are capable of carrying one AW101 helicopter or two SH90 (NH90) helicopters.
Today we have signed a Contractual Integration for the PPA – Multipurpose Combat Ship program. The agreement, aimed at upgrading the PPA-class vessels to the Full Combat System configuration, was formalized by the Director of OCCAR-EA and our VP Project Management, Naval Vessels… pic.twitter.com/ECx01ABBDJ
— Fincantieri (@Fincantieri) April 22, 2026
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