Italy’s DDX destroyer program advances with $4.2B contract to Fincantieri-Leonardo venture
OCCAR has awarded a €3.7 billion ($4.2 billion) contract to the Fincantieri-Leonardo joint venture Orizzonte Sistemi Navali for two Italian Navy DDX destroyers. The ships are intended to strengthen Italy’s air and missile defense capabilities, with deliveries now planned for 2033 and 2035. The program has slipped from earlier timelines reportedly due to unresolved requirements and funding issues.
OCCAR has placed a €3.7 billion ($4.2 billion) order with Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a Fincantieri-Leonardo venture, for two Italian Navy DDX destroyers. The vessels are meant to replace Horizon-class ships and improve Italy’s air and missile defense. Fincantieri will design and build the platforms, while Leonardo contributes to the combat system.
Deliveries are now scheduled for 2033 and 2035, later than a 2028 target reported when Italy introduced the plans in 2020. A 2023 construction contract depended on funding; Italian reporting attributed a three-year slip to unresolved requirements and financial questions. Sub-supply deals worth about €1.8 billion for Fincantieri and €1.7 billion for Leonardo are expected soon, with roughly €1.3 billion in options.
The order could shape Italy’s defense industrial base, sustaining jobs and technical skills at Fincantieri, Leonardo, and suppliers. It may also affect Italian Navy personnel, who could operate more capable air- and missile-defense ships later than once expected. For broader society, the program may influence how Italy contributes to European and NATO security, while its cost and delays could keep public scrutiny on defense spending and shipbuilding timelines.