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| An Italian FREMM Frigate (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By: Tom Kington
ROME - An Italian Navy FREMM frigate will visit Australia in January and February and hold exercises with the Australian Navy in the wake of the type’s short listing for acquisition by Australia.
The promotional tour, which is backed by Fincantieri, the ship’s builder, will include stops in Fremantle, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, Italian Navy officials said on Dec. 16.
In April, Australia shortlisted proposals from BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia for the country’s program to build nine new frigates.
The BAE offering is based on the Type 26 frigate, while Navantia is proposing a redesigned version of its Álvaro de Bazán (F100) class vessel.
The FREMM frigate making the trip, the Carabiniere, is an anti-submarine warship FREMM and was delivered to the Italian Navy in April 2015, the fifth of ten to be commissioned. On the tour it will carry an NH90 helicopter and undertake ASW exercises with the Australians.
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