Euronaval 2024 – Fincantieri unveils PPA/MPCS EVO
The latest worldwide naval operations need more advanced and armed first line platforms capable to handle a variety of threats. To cope with these requirements, Fincantieri has unveiled at Euronaval 2024 the PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (PPA/MPCS) EVO or PPA/MPSC 2.0
These future platforms will have to cope with conflicts ranging from asymmetric to peer-to-peer ones and will have to face threats ranging from unmanned systems of different types to ballistic, supersonic, and hypersonic missiles, in addition to conventional threats. The unveiling of the new PPA EVO by Fincantieri saw the presence of the Italian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Enrico Credendino, whose service is expected to be the launch customer for the newest configuration.
Based on the aforementioned operational requirements, Fincantieri has further developed the PPA/MPCS design to accommodate a larger armament package, an up-to-date Operational Combat Centre and mission systems exploiting latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, latest generation weapon and self-protection systems including directed-energy weapons and counter drones systems, alongside the capability to carry and operate a range of unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles, Roberto Olivari, Senior Vice President of naval vessel development and military innovation and research at Fincantieri explained.
Since its inception the PPA/MSPC adopted a modular and reconfigurable design, which allowed for further developments, including three multi-mission payload areas for a range of manned and unmanned vehicles and containerized systems. Having been designed together with the Italian Navy, the latter service has planned a component of seven platforms of which four platforms already in service: two PPA/MPCS Light essentially armed with guns, one Light Plus with an anti-air warfare capability based on the MBDA SAAM ESD PPA air defence missile system, and the first of two in the Full configuration with a comprehensive combat suite encompassing the Leonardo new generation SADOC 4/Athena II command management system (CMS) and communications package, the same company Dual Band Radar (DBR), the ELT Group (Elettronica) integrated EW suite (IEWS), the MBDA SAAM ESD PPA air defence system with two 8-cell Naval Group A50 vertical launching system (VLS) for the MBDA Aster family of surface-to-air missiles including the Aster Block 1NT, launching systems for MBDA Teseo Mk 2/E anti-ship cruise missiles (fitted for), a Leonardo DSS-IRST 360° multi-spectral surveillance and tracking suite, a Leonardo 127/64 mm main and 76/62 mm Single Deck secondary gun together with two 25 mm remotely controlled systems all with their respective fire control systems, decoy launchers and an ASW suite based on a Leonardo Variable Depth Sonar (VDS), alongside being fitted for torpedoes launching systems an space provision for obstacle avoidance sonar. The PPA Light and Light Plus can be converted into the Full combat configuration without major modifications, having space and electrical power to accommodate these and other systems and armaments.
The PPA in all three configurations has three areas for modular and configurable payloads. The two located under the stern flight deck are capable to respectively accommodate RHIB/sonar and mainly containers for different applications (personnel accommodations, medical or other missions) or other payloads that can be operated by a stern and two lateral launch and recovery hatches. The remaining area is located amidship and features a crane capable to handle materiel such as 20-foot containers and special forces/landing boats. The PPA/MPCS can operate two NH90 or one NH90 and one EH101 helicopters and can also conduct dual-use missions being capable to provide electrical power and drinking water ashore.
With the sale of two PPA Light Plus to Indonesia, which are being taken from the Italian Navy production line, the procurement programme is on the verge of completing the financing procedure very soon, “a matter of days,” said Fincantieri CEO, Pierroberto Folgiero, the Italian Navy is to acquire two new replacing PPAs, according to Italian Navy Chief of Staff. “The new platforms are expected to be in the EVO configuration,” he explained to the media attending the unveiling of the new ship. “We are looking to enhanced combat capabilities in terms of armament and defence systems, command and control, and unmanned systems,” admiral Credendino highlighted when asked by EDR On-Line. The Italian Navy is looking to have four PPA/MPCS Full and three in the Light Plus configuration, but in the long-term plans are to introduce enhancements to reach a common configuration, EDR On-Line understood, budget depending.
The PPA/MPCS EVO configuration and equipment evolution
Although the platform and the propulsion system design remain mainly unchanged, based on information and computer images released during the event at Euronaval, the bow and amidship areas structures will be modified to accommodate the additional armament and systems, which will include a total of up to eight 8-cell vertical launchers and other systems. The bow area in front of the bridge will be modified with the addition of an extended forecastle that will accommodate the ship main gun, a Leonardo 76/62 mm Super Rapido, and up to four 8-cell Naval Group A50 and/or A70/A70 New Generation vertical launching systems (VLSs) for surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles in addition to inclined launchers for up to eight MBDA Teseo Mk2/E antiship cruise missiles (ASCMs).
Another significant modification which appeared on the rendering published on Fincantieri’s social media is a structure in front of the Naval Cockpit for an electro-optic turret which has been identified as a direct energy laser weapon (DEW). The latter, according to its dimensions, is expected to cope with unmanned air systems or other asymmetric threats.
To accommodate a more powerful weapons package, a vertical structure has been installed amidship, in the area currently used for modular payloads. Connecting the two superstructure blocks, the new structure can accommodate up to four 8-cell A50 VLSs. To make space for it over the weather deck, the installed crane to manage containers and other payloads was eliminated while the two launch and recovering stations for one RHIB on each side of the ship have been maintained. In the EVO configuration, the same space on both sides of this superstructure is used to accommodate one 20-foot container behind the RHIB for a dedicated payload, such as a longer range autonomous underwater vehicle with an integrated launch and recovery system for underwater surveillance operations.
All missions assigned to the PPA/MPCS, ranging from ASuW, ASW to AAW, the latter against a wide range of missiles and conventional threats, as well as intelligence and surveillance alongside dual-use missions, are managed by an operational combat centre (OCC) which integrates the capabilities of the advanced cockpit system (ACS), the operational combat bridge (OCB) and the combat information centre (CIC). In addition to the ship conduction, the two-station Naval Cockpit can manage ship-protection actions against low-intensity threats, while for more demanding combat situations with simultaneous attacking threats, the four operator consoles of the OCB are involved under the overall control of the ship captain station. The OCB can handle a wide package of shorter-range sensors and weapons including the Leonardo DSS-IRST with daylight/IR static and directional turrets providing passive surveillance, distance measurement and tracking and the two Sitep Italia MASS (Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System) surveillance with non-lethal weapons suites as well as two 30/40 mm remotely controlled gun systems, 76/62 gun mounts and their fire control systems. The OCB together with the CIC accommodating the latest developments of the Leonardo Athena family of CMS with the application of augmented reality and artificial intelligence will be capable to manage a large package of threats from swarms of unmanned systems to latest generation of missiles including ballistic and hypersonic ones. The Italian Navy’s SADOC 4 version of the Athena Mk 2 CMS already uses remote processing and is cyber secure by design as for the PPA/MPCS ship management system (SMS).
The control of the unmanned systems package will be assured by the unmanned management system (UMS) being developed by Fincantieri, which could use the CMS operator consoles or dedicated stations.
To cope with the asymmetric threats, namely unmanned air vehicles but also other advancing aerial threats such as loitering munitions, in addition to the Leonardo Dual Band Radar (the DBR suite including C-band and X-band AESA radars), the ELT Group is understood to provide the enlarged integrated EW suite (IEWS) with C-UAS capabilities, being developed under the FREMM EVO programme. The latter development contract was announced by the ELT Group during Euronaval 2024. During the PPA/MPSC EVO presentation Fincantieri also unveiled a new four fixed arrays (4FF) version of the Omega 360 circular array C-UAS radar. Although no details were provided, EDR On-Line understood the new version will be based on the latest activities already completed or on-going on the circular version. In late October, Fincantieri announced the signature of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Barzan Holdings, focused on the joint development of the Omega 360 radar, which will serve as the central sensor for the Qatari national counter-drone system. Both the 4FF Omega 360 and Leonardo ad hoc suite with the Tactical Multi Mission Radar (TMMR), are the main competitors for a C-UAS radar requirement to equip the FREMM EVO.
With a multipurpose design, the PPA/MPCS EVO has been developed to accommodate a range of sensors, armaments, and additional systems alongside the already mentioned enhancement capabilities package, including directed-energy weapon (DEW). To conduct anti-surface and deep strike operations, in addition to Teseo Mk2E ASCMs, the EVO configuration can accept two 8-cell Naval Group A70/A70 NG for long-range deep strike cruise missiles while both the bow-mounted 76/62 Super Rapido and over-hangar placed Single Deck can fire the DART guided munitions (if the bow area mounted gun comes in the Strales configuration) to deal with missiles and asymmetric threats, as well as the 76 Vulcano long-range IMU/GPS guided ammunitions. The gun package also includes two 30 or 40 mm remotely controlled weapon systems with air bust ammunitions to cope with unmanned air vehicles. The PPA/MPCS EVO could be also equipped with both fixed-wing and rotary-wing unmanned air vehicles that could be accommodated in the large hangar facilities.
The anti-air warfare capabilities of the PPA/MPCS have been significantly enhanced, the ship being capable to accommodate up to 16 four-cell A50 VLSs for the MBDA Aster 15/30 and Block 1NT family of missiles, capable to deal from high-supersonic and manoeuvring to tactical ballistic missile and first-generation hypersonic weapons with information provided from third parties. To initially counter unmanned and later missile threats, Fincantieri will add a DEW without providing additional details.
To conduct ASW and Seabed warfare operations, the PPA/MPCS EVO is equipped with a stern launching and recovering station that could accommodate both RHIBs and unmanned surface vehicles equipped with underwater unmanned vehicles, while the sonar suite is based on a variable deep sonar (VDS) suite alongside an anti-torpedo protection system including the OLDS launchers equipped with the Leonardo MJTE decoys. Fincantieri also highlighted the capability to embark two 20-foot containers amidship, which can respectively accommodate a medium AUV, alongside two triple launchers for lightweight torpedoes. Although the ship wasn’t developed with a primary ASW requirement, it presents a reduced acoustic signature, the Italian shipyard claims.
Photos by G. Arra, images courtesy Fincantieri
