Raimondo Montecuccoli (P432) is the third ship of Paolo Thaon di Revel-class offshore patrol vessel. Raimondo Montecuccoli was laid down on 8 November 2018 at Fincantieri Muggiano and was launched on 13 March 2021. Expected to be commissioned in January 2023. The launching ceremony of the first the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ship (PPA) Paolo Thaon di Revel took place on June 15 2019 at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia). The first ship-in-class started sea trials on November 19. 2019. It is set to be commissioned this year. The second vessel of the class, Francesco Morosini, was launched on 22 May 2020. It is planned to replace four Soldati-class light patrol frigates and eight Minerva-class corvettes between 2021/2035.
The launch of the third Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ship (PPA) “Raimondo Montecuccoli” took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Riva Trigoso (Genoa). The ceremony, held in a restricted format and in full compliance with anti-contagion requirements, was attended by Sen. Stefania Pucciarelli, the Italian Undersecretary of Defence representing the Minister Lorenzo Guerini, Adm. Eduardo Serra, Italian Navy Logistic Commander, and Giuseppe Giordo, General manager of the Naval Vessel division of Fincantieri.Godmother of the ship was Mrs. Anna Maria Pugliese, daughter of Admiral Stefano Pugliese, who was Commander of the light cruiser “Montecuccoli”, which entered into service in 1935 and was uncommissioned from the Italian Navy fleet in 1964.
The Thaon di Revel class (also known as PPA for “Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura”) is a class of multipurpose offshore ships built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy. the Italian Navy ordered the new MBDA TESEO MK/2E heavy-duty missile (TESEO “EVO”), a long-range anti-ship missile with also strategic land attack capability. The missile will have a new terminal “head” with dual RF seeker (Radio Frequency) and, presumably, date the need to even attack ground targets, IIR (Imaging IR). Compared to the predecessor OTOMAT/TESEO, the TESEO “EVO” MK/2E has a double range or more than 360 km. Former OTOMAT is accredited for a range of action of more than 180 km. The class, designed with a high level of modularity and automation.
The multipurpose offshore patrol vessel is a highly flexible ship with the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to Civil Protection operations and, in its most highly equipped version, first line fighting vessel. There will be indeed different configurations of combat system: starting from a “soft” version for the patrol task, integrated for self-defence ability, to a “full” one, equipped for a complete defence ability. The vessel is also capable of operating high-speed vessels such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) up to 11 meters long through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern.
