On October 24, 2023, in a ceremony hosted at OCCAR premises in Rome, OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) officially inked an agreement with a Consortium led by Naviris, and comprising Fincantieri (Italy), Naval Group (France), Navvantia (Spain), and other stakeholders from Greece, Denmark, and Norway (*). The agreement covers all contractual documents for the Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette (MMPC) as part of the initial phase of the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) project.
The value of this initial phase amounts to 87 million euros, with substantial backing from the European Commission (EC) through the European Defence Fund (EDF). The EC is set to provide 60 million euros in the form of grants, while the remaining 27 million euros will be contributed by the Member States (Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Greece, and Norway) that have thrown their support behind the project. OCCAR will oversee the project in its entirety, serving as the Granting Authority under the EC’s mandate and the Contracting Authority on behalf of the aforementioned Member States.
Simultaneously, on the same day, representatives of the participating companies signed a consortium agreement aimed at governing the project’s execution, with a focus on maximizing synergies and collaboration among European shipbuilding industries.
Spanning a 24-month duration, this initial MMPC contract seeks to establish the preliminary design for a nextgeneration naval vessel, the European Patrol Corvette (EPC). The EPC project, launched under the framework of a PESCO project (1), will initially include two main versions: the Long Range Multipurpose and the Full Combat Multipurpose, with a strong emphasis on innovation, synergy, and cross-collaboration among three prominent European shipbuilding entities: Naval Group, Fincantieri, and Navantia, aligning with the operational requirements of various European Navies.
The EPC program represents a significant stride in European defense cooperation, aiming to bolster European sovereignty in the realm of second-line naval vessels. It underscores the commitment to strengthening the European industry, streamlining efficiency, and reducing lead times from military requirement to delivery to Navies. By jointly developing a novel and transformative class of corvettes, the four companies aim to ensure and promote European sovereignty grounded in European expertise and capabilities. The signing of this contract underscores the ability of nations, under the management of OCCAR, to collaborate effectively and leverage the expertise of their leading naval industries in support of European navies. It also underscores the effectiveness and significance of the EDF in assisting European Member States in fostering defense capabilities crafted in Europe.
Built upon innovative and groundbreaking technologies, this new class of vessels represents a group of intelligent, innovative, cost-effective, sustainable, interoperable, and adaptable vessels designed to meet a wide spectrum of missions in a continuously evolving operational context. Depending on the specific requirements of each Navy, these ships will be capable of executing a broad range of missions, ranging from high-autonomy surveillance on the high seas to law enforcement and sovereignty enforcement missions closer to the coast, tailored to the distinct needs of different Navies.
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