The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its seventh Thaon di Revel-class multipurpose offshore patrol vessel from Fincantieri under a contract awarded in 2019.
The handover ceremony for Domenico Millelire (P436) took place at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard, attended by military officials and representatives from industry partners.
Italy introduced the platform in 2024 under the broader Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) programme, which aims to replace the Navy’s ageing Minerva-class and Lupo-class surface combatants, originally commissioned during the 1970s.
Expanding Italy’s Naval Fleet
Italy launched the Thaon di Revel programme in 2014 with support from the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), a European defence procurement organisation.
In 2025, Italy ordered two additional vessels to replenish the fleet following the transfer of the fifth and sixth ships in the series to the Indonesian Navy under a bilateral cooperation agreement. The latest delivery supports the Italian Navy’s ongoing fleet modernisation efforts and strengthens its multipurpose maritime capabilities.
Key Features of the Thaon di Revel-Class Vessel
The Thaon di Revel-class platform features a 143-metre (469-foot) hull and a beam of 17 metres (56 feet). It can accommodate more than 170 personnel, operate two helicopters comparable to the NH90, and deploy rigid-hull inflatable boats for maritime missions.
Its weapons suite includes:
Surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship missiles.
Lightweight torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.
A 126mm rapid-fire naval gun.
A 76mm anti-aircraft autocannon.
25mm remotely operated cannons.
The vessel is equipped with an advanced combat management system, electronic warfare suite, electro-optical and infrared sensors, diving support sonars, anti-submarine warfare systems, satellite communications, a long-range acoustic system, and decoy launchers. These capabilities support a broad range of missions, including maritime surveillance, air defence, surface warfare, and anti-submarine operations.
Propulsion and Performance
The ship’s propulsion architecture combines a 43,000-horsepower GE Aerospace/Avio Aero LM2500+G4 gas turbine with two 13,000-horsepower MTU 20V 8000 M91L diesel engines and two 1,810-horsepower electric motors.
Additional equipment includes twin-engine emergency generators, a 740-horsepower thruster, and two controllable-pitch propellers.
This integrated propulsion system enables the Thaon di Revel-class vessel to achieve a maximum speed of 32 knots (59 km/h or 37 mph) and an operational range of approximately 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 kilometres or 5,754 miles).
The delivery of Domenico Millelire represents another milestone in Italy’s naval modernisation programme, expanding the Navy’s capacity to conduct diverse maritime operations while maintaining operational flexibility across multiple mission environments.
