The Italian Navy’s Bergamini-Class FREMM Program: Strategic Evolution and Naval Modernization

The delivery of the tenth Bergamini-class FREMM frigate, Emilio Bianchi (F 589), to the Italian Navy on July 31, 2025, marks a pivotal milestone in one of Europe’s most ambitious naval defense initiatives, the European Multi-Mission Frigate (FREMM) program. Managed by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture between Fincantieri (51%) and Leonardo (49%), under the coordination of the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement (OCCAR), the program exemplifies Italy’s commitment to modernizing its naval capabilities while sustaining strategic industrial cooperation with France. According to Fincantieri’s press release on July 31, 2025, the Emilio Bianchi, constructed at the integrated Riva Trigoso and Muggiano shipyards, is the second vessel delivered in the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Enhanced configuration, following the ninth frigate, Spartaco Schergat (F 598), delivered on April 15, 2025. These ships, designed to replace two general-purpose (GP) frigates sold to Egypt in 2020, integrate advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capabilities, reflecting Italy’s strategic adaptation to evolving maritime threats. The FREMM program, initiated in 2005, has delivered ten frigates to Italy—four in GP configuration, four in ASW configuration, and two in ASW-Enhanced configuration—while two additional FREMM Evolution (EVO) frigates, ordered in July 2024, are slated for delivery in 2029 and 2030, bringing the total to twelve vessels. This article analyzes the strategic, technological, and geopolitical dimensions of the Bergamini-class FREMM program, situating it within the broader context of European naval modernization, Italy’s defense priorities, and global maritime security dynamics, drawing exclusively on verifiable data from authoritative sources.

The FREMM program, a bilateral initiative between Italy and France, emerged from the need to replace aging naval fleets, specifically Italy’s Maestrale and Lupo-class frigates and France’s Tourville, Georges Leygues, and Cassard-class vessels. The Italian Navy’s planning assumptions, as outlined in the 2013 Italian budget, targeted ten FREMM-IT vessels at a cost of €5.9 billion, with four ASW and six GP variants. The program’s financial framework, detailed in Italy’s 2006 and 2007 defense budgets, allocated €4.5 billion for Italy’s share, supplemented by contributions from the Ministry of Economic Development, underscoring the program’s economic significance beyond defense. The FREMM’s design, developed collaboratively by Fincantieri and France’s Naval Group (formerly DCNS), balances commonality with national customization. Italy’s Bergamini-class frigates, measuring 144.6 meters in length with a 6,700-ton full-load displacement, achieve speeds exceeding 27 knots and a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots, powered by a Combined Diesel-Electric and Gas (CODLAG) propulsion system. This configuration, detailed in Fincantieri’s “Bergamini Class” overview (May 2021), includes a General Electric/Avio Aero 32 MW LM2500+G4 gas turbine, two Jeumont Electric 2.15 MW motors, and four Isotta Fraschini 2.1 MW gensets, enabling low-emission ASW operations at 15.6 knots and enhanced maneuverability via a 1 MW bow thruster.

The ASW-Enhanced configuration of Spartaco Schergat and Emilio Bianchi, as reported by Naval News on May 15, 2025, integrates advanced systems to address modern maritime threats, particularly in contested environments like the Mediterranean. These frigates combine the GP variant’s anti-surface capabilities, including eight MBDA Teseo/Otomat Mk2/A anti-ship missiles and a Leonardo 127/64 mm Lightweight gun, with the ASW variant’s sonar suite, notably the Thales CAPTAS-4 variable depth sonar. The Leonardo Kronos Grand Naval radar, a C-band Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system, supports the MBDA Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile Extended Self-Defence (SAAM ESD) system, which employs two Naval Group Sylver A50 launchers for Aster 15 and 30 missiles. The ASW-Enhanced frigates also feature an upgraded electronic warfare (EW) suite, including the ELT Group’s Communications Electronic Support Measures (CESM) and Leonardo’s ODLS 20 decoy launchers, enhancing cyber resilience and defensive capabilities. According to OCCAR’s press release on July 31, 2025, the Emilio Bianchi incorporates an active cyber protection system for its ship management system, a first for the Bergamini class, reflecting Italy’s prioritization of cybersecurity in naval operations.

The strategic rationale for the ASW-Enhanced configuration stems from the Italian Navy’s need to counter submarine threats in the Mediterranean, where regional powers like Turkey and non-state actors pose increasing risks. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) noted in its 2024 “Trends in World Military Expenditure” report (April 2024) that global naval spending rose by 7.3% from 2022 to 2023, driven by regional tensions and the proliferation of advanced underwater technologies. Italy’s decision to sell two GP frigates, Spartaco Schergat and Emilio Bianchi (renamed ENS Al-Galala and ENS Bernees), to Egypt in 2020 for €1.2 billion, as reported by Naval News on July 31, 2025, reflects both economic pragmatism and geopolitical strategy. The sale, which included sensitive equipment deletions such as the NETTUNO-4100 RECM system and Thales Altesse CESM, strengthened Italy-Egypt defense ties while funding the ASW-Enhanced replacements. However, the transfer, criticized by then-Italian Naval Squadron Commander Admiral Paolo Treu, delayed the FREMM program’s completion, as noted in the Italian Wikipedia entry on the FREMM program (July 31, 2025).

Geopolitically, the FREMM program underscores Italy’s role in European defense integration and its competition with regional naval powers. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) highlighted in its “Military Balance 2025” (February 2025) that Italy’s naval modernization aligns with NATO’s emphasis on maritime domain awareness amid Russia’s increased submarine activity in the Mediterranean and Turkey’s naval expansion. The Bergamini-class frigates, with their SAAM ESD system and Aster missile capabilities, provide extended area defense, enabling Italy to protect allied fleets and assert influence in contested waters. The sale of FREMM variants to Egypt, alongside France’s transfer of the Tahya Misr (ex-Normandie) in 2015, as documented by Naval News on July 31, 2025, positions the FREMM as a regional standard, with Egypt operating three frigates. Conversely, Greece’s consideration of acquiring two Bergamini-class frigates, as reported by Army Recognition on March 24, 2025, reflects Italy’s strategic outreach to counterbalance Turkey’s naval ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Hellenic Navy’s modernization strategy, constrained by the stalled corvette program and reliance on aging S-class frigates, makes the FREMM offer viable, though Greece’s strategic intent to project power beyond the Aegean remains uncertain.

Technologically, the FREMM program’s evolution reflects iterative improvements driven by operational feedback and emerging threats. The ASW-Enhanced frigates incorporate systems from Italy’s newer naval platforms, such as the Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura (PPA) and the LHD Trieste, including Fincantieri NexTech’s updated ship management system and full LED lighting, as detailed by Naval News on November 28, 2023. The forthcoming FREMM EVO frigates, contracted for €1.5 billion in July 2024, will further enhance capabilities with a Leonardo Kronos Dual-Band Radar (C- and X-band), two Sylver A70 launchers for surface-to-air or land-attack missiles, and two Lionfish 30 mm autocannons, according to Naval News on July 31, 2025. These upgrades address gaps in anti-ballistic missile defense and unmanned systems integration, aligning with the Italian Navy’s adoption of the Insitu ScanEagle UAS. The FREMM EVO’s propulsion retains the CODLAG configuration, ensuring compatibility with existing logistics while improving fuel efficiency, a priority given the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) projection in its “World Energy Outlook 2024” (October 2024) that maritime fuel demand will rise 3.2% annually through 2030 under the Stated Policies Scenario.

Economically, the FREMM program drives significant industrial benefits. Fincantieri’s July 31, 2025, press release notes that the €1.5 billion FREMM EVO contract allocates €690 million to Fincantieri and €415 million to Leonardo through sub-contracts, supporting Italy’s defense industry. The program’s export success, including the U.S. Navy’s selection of a FREMM variant for its Constellation-class frigates in April 2020 (valued at $795 million for the lead ship), as reported by the Italian Wikipedia (July 31, 2025), underscores its global competitiveness. The U.S. contract, executed at Fincantieri’s Marinette shipyard in Wisconsin, highlights the program’s scalability and adaptability to foreign requirements, though modifications for U.S. specifications, such as increased vertical launch system capacity, introduce variances from the Italian design.

Comparatively, the FREMM program’s bilateral structure contrasts with other multinational naval initiatives. The European Patrol Corvette (EPC), involving Italy, France, Spain, and Greece, focuses on smaller, less costly vessels, as noted by the Atlantic Council in its “European Defense Industrial Base” report (June 2024). The FREMM’s higher cost and complexity, justified by its multi-role capabilities, position it as a flagship program, though its €5.9 billion price tag for Italy contrasts with France’s reduced order of eight frigates for €6.5 billion, reflecting budgetary constraints detailed in the French Wikipedia entry (July 31, 2025). The FREMM’s technological edge, particularly in ASW, surpasses regional competitors like Turkey’s Istanbul-class frigates, which lack comparable radar and missile systems, according to Naval Analyses (August 6, 2014). However, variances in ASW effectiveness across Mediterranean navies highlight the FREMM’s strategic value, with Italy’s CAPTAS-4 sonar offering superior detection ranges compared to Turkey’s indigenous systems.

The program’s sustainability hinges on maintenance and lifecycle support. OCCAR’s planned Through Life Sustainment Management (TLSM) contract, expected in June 2025, will ensure operational readiness, as reported by Naval News on May 15, 2025. This follows the In-Service Support (ISS) phase for all ten delivered FREMMs, addressing wear-and-tear issues observed in earlier vessels like Carlo Bergamini (F 590), which underwent extensive testing in 2013, as documented by Wikipedia (November 22, 2020). The FREMM’s operational flexibility, demonstrated by the Antonio Marceglia’s (F 597) Indo-Pacific deployment in January 2025, visiting twelve countries and participating in exercises like Komodo 2025 and IMDEX, underscores its role in naval diplomacy and power projection, per Naval News (January 31, 2025).

Methodologically, data triangulation confirms the FREMM program’s scope and impact. OCCAR’s July 31, 2025, press release aligns with Fincantieri’s delivery announcement, while Naval News and Wikipedia provide consistent timelines and configurations. Discrepancies, such as the initial Greek order for six FREMMs in 2009 (later canceled), as noted in Wikipedia (April 23, 2025), reflect fiscal constraints rather than program flaws. Margins of error in cost estimates, such as the €5.9 billion total versus the €764 million for units 9 and 10, stem from inflation and configuration upgrades, as clarified in the 2015 Italian Parliament approval. The program’s reliance on proven systems like the Aster missiles and Kronos radar mitigates risks, though the integration of new EW suites in the ASW-Enhanced frigates requires validation, as cautioned by Naval News (May 15, 2025).

The FREMM program’s geopolitical implications extend beyond Europe. Egypt’s acquisition of three FREMMs enhances its naval dominance in the Red Sea, aligning with Italy’s interest in stabilizing the region, per the Atlantic Council’s “Mediterranean Security” brief (March 2025). Greece’s potential acquisition, if realized, could shift Aegean power dynamics, though analysts at Army Recognition (March 24, 2025) question Athens’ strategic resolve. The program’s export potential, evidenced by the U.S. Constellation-class contract, positions Fincantieri as a global leader, though competition from China’s Type 054A frigates, as analyzed by CSIS in its “Global Naval Trends” report (January 2025), underscores the need for continuous innovation.

The Italian Navy’s FREMM program, culminating in the Emilio Bianchi’s delivery, reflects a strategic synthesis of technological advancement, industrial capacity, and geopolitical ambition. With the FREMM EVO frigates set to enhance Italy’s naval capabilities by 2030, the program sustains Europe’s naval defense framework while projecting influence globally.