Intermarine and Leonardo unite for Italian Navy minehunter contract

Intermarine and Leonardo have formed a Temporary Grouping of Companies to fulfil a contract with the Italian Navy to provide minehunter vessels.

The duo have been selected to supply five new-generation minehunters, along with coastal and related integrated logistical support, at a cost of €1.6 billion ($1.73 billion).

Intermarine will take the lion’s share of the contract (€1.165 billion euros or 73% of the deal), while Leonardo will receive the remainder. As such, Intermarine will act as design authority for the naval vessels and will provide the platform, while Leonardo will act as design authority and supplier of the combat system.

The minehunters will make use of both new materials and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies to ensure that they are significantly safer than previous generations of similar vessels.

The build and procurement programme is intended to bridge a current capability gap and begin enhancement of the Mine Countermeasures National Component. The Italian government has signed off on the programme on the basis that geopolitical tensions are growing, both around the world and closer to home shores, particularly in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Baltic.

The hulls of the new minehunters will be resistant to the shockwaves caused by underwater explosions, and will have low magneto-acoustic signatures, with modern combat technologies like mine-hunting sonar and command and multi-domain control systems allowing the deployment of uncrewed vehicles. 

They will perform not only search and clearance operations, but also seabed surveillance to protect critical underwater infrastructure, such as fuel and power pipelines, and maritime data networks.

Minehunters are increasingly in demand, particularly in Europe. In July, 2024, the Belgian-Dutch programme, the rMCM, ramped up with the launch of sea trials for the first of its own minehunters, the Oostende. That fleet will eventually comprise 12 ships, with similar specifications and resistances to those being built by Intermarine and Leonardo.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C)