Indonesia signs contract with Italy's Fincantieri for 6 new FREMM frigates, 2 refurbished Maestrale-class frigates

 

A Bergamini-class (Italian FREMM) frigate and a Maestrale-class frigate. Photo c/o Giorgio Parodi / Forum Difesa.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced that the company has signed a contract with the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MOD) for the supply of 6 new FREMM frigates, the modernization and sale of 2 Maestrale-class frigates, and related logistics support.

The deal was announced by Fincantieri on 10 June 2021, and was touted as a massive success by the company and by the Italian defense and shipbuilding industry.

It also is expected to boost the defense relations and collaboration between Indonesia and Italy in the Pacific region.

Fincantieri will be working with Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL, which will be involved in the construction of the new FREMM frigates for the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL).

Not much information has been released on the project cost, sharing in construction and supply of materials and equipment, subsystems to be used, and other major details.

The financial scheme of the project has not been finalized as well.

The FREMM design was a joint collaboration of Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group, with the design in service with both countries with difference in subsystems used.

The FREMM was also ordered by the Egyptian Navy and Royal Moroccan Navy, while also used as basis for the Constellation-class guided missile frigates to be constructed for the United States Navy.

In addition, Fincantieri will acquire 2 Maestrale-class frigates from the Italian Navy once they are decommissioned from service, and will modernize them in Italy before delivery to the TNI-AL.

The Maestrale-class frigates are the frontline frigates of the Italian Navy from the early 1980s until they were succeeded by the Italian Navy's version of the FREMM frigate, the Bergamini-class starting in 2013.

Four ships remain in service with the Italian Navy, and are scheduled for retirement in the next few years.




[1] Fincantieri
[2] Naval News