Naviris and eurosam Win $1.5B Contract to Upgrade Horizon-class Frigates

Our Bureau - : Aug 1, 2023 - : 12:06 am

Naviris and eurosam have been awarded a contract worth euro 1.5 billion by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) for the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of the French and Italian Horizon frigates. Naviris and eurosam, will work with their shareholders, Fincantieri...

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Naviris and eurosam, will work with their shareholders, Fincantieri and Naval Group for the frigate, and with MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales for the new generation of Principal Anti-Air Missile System & Long-Range Radar (PAAMS & LRR).

In the coming days, Naviris will finalize subcontracts, including the one with Fincantieri, which will have a value of 211 million euros. With the upgrade, Horizon class frigates will receive a state-of-the-art modernization of the entire vessel and the enhancement of their anti-warfare capabilities. New weapon systems and associated Command and Control, and electronic warfare suites will provide highest capabilities and performances against modern threats.

The new generation of PAAMS & LRR is a very significant upgrade. The system will be able to defeat threats such as hypersonic, ballistic, supersonic sea-skimmer, and high velocity cruise missiles, UAVs and fighter aircraft, in a saturation attack scenario.

"This contract is a fundamental step for Naviris in demonstrating its capability to execute a multinational programme and it further reinforces the role of the joint venture as center of gravity in the cooperation among Fincantieri and Naval Group, also with the partnership of Leonardo and SIGEN (ELT and Thales)," said Damien Raby, Naviris' CEO, and Enrico Bonetti, Naviris' COO.

"PAAMS & LRR, a unique system deployed on the four French and Italian frigates, has been successfully engaged all over the world for more than 15 years in synergies with PAAMS & LRR - UK variant deployed on the six Type-45 destroyers," said Eva Bruxmeier, Managing Director of eurosam. "This new generation of PAAMS & LRR for the frigates, developed and produced by eurosam through MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales and integrated jointly with Naviris on the frigates, relies on an enhanced missile (ASTER Block 1 NT), an upgraded launcher, two new AESA radars (Kronos Grand Naval from Leonardo and SMART-L MM/N from Thales) and a new open software architecture command and control system."

The Horizon frigates were originally built between 2000 and 2010 as part of a joint programme between Fincantieri and Naval Group, providing the Italian and French navies with innovative frigates with anti-air capabilities. The PAAMS & LRR system was originally developed and produced for the four Horizon class frigates.