Virginio Fasan on 24 May 2023 | |
History | |
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Name | Virginio Fasan |
Namesake | Virginio Fasan |
Builder | |
Laid down | 12 May 2009 |
Launched | 31 March 2012 |
Commissioned | 19 December 2013 |
Homeport | La Spezia |
Identification |
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Motto |
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Status | Active |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Carlo Bergamini-class frigate |
Displacement | 6,700 tons |
Length | 144.6 m (474 ft 5 in) |
Beam | 19.7 m (64 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) max |
Range | 6,800 nmi (12,600 km; 7,800 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement | 201 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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Aircraft carried |
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Aviation facilities | Double hangar |
Virginio Fasan (F 591) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. The vessel was constructed Fincantieri's La Spezia shipyard and was launched on 31 March 2012. The frigate has been deployed on EUNAVFOR missions to counter piracy and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Planning assumptions for the Italian Navy are ten FREMM-IT, four anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variants and six general purpose (GP) variants, at a cost of €5.9 billion. FREMM-IT will replace the Maestrale and Lupo-class frigates in service with the Italian Navy. In the 2013 Italian budget, the Italian government laid out the necessary financing for two more GP variants (FREMM-IT 7 & 8) and the contract was awarded in September 2013. On 15 April 2015, the Italian Parliament confirmed the deal between OCCAR and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali Spa (Fincantieri and Finmeccanica, since 2017 Leonardo) to begin building units 9 and 10, for 764 million Euros.
As of 16 April 2015, the Italian government approved funding for all ten FREMM-IT to be delivered to the Italian Navy. [1]
FREMM-IT 9 & 10 have undisclosed enhanced capabilities. All ten Italian FREMM-ITs have extended anti-air warfare capabilities, with SAAM-ESD CMS, Aster 30 and Aster 15 missiles for extended area defence. SAAM-ESD CMS use Leonardo MFRA, a 3D active radar (AESA), an evolved version of the Leonardo EMPAR PESA radar (previously embarked on Horizon-class destroyers and the aircraft carrier Cavour). Since the seventh FREMM-IT, there ships have been updated, such as new conformal IFF antenna and much more stealth response. Since the ninth FREMM-IT, SCLAR-H replaced with Leonardo ODLS-20. In 2017 the Italian FREMM refit started with the installation on each of two SITEP MS-424 acoustic guns.
On 31 March 2012, the ship, named after Virginio Fasan, was launched. The frigate was commissioned into the Italian Navy on 19 December 2013 and is based at La Spezia as part of 2° Comando Gruppo Navale. [2]
Virginio Fasan was deployed as part of EUNAVFOR's counter-piracy Operation Atalanta in 2017. On 18 November, the ship responded to a series of attacks on a container ship and a fishing vessel. The attacks on the container ship included the use of rocket-propelled grenades. Virginio Fasan located the assailants and a team of Italian marines were deployed via the frigate's helicopter to detain the pirates. A motor whaler and a skiff were captured and six people were detained by the marines. [3]
On 29 April 2024, while deployed to the Red Sea as part of the European Union's Operation Aspides, Virginio Fasan shot down a Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle with its 3-inch gun. [4]
The Maestrale class is a class of frigates of the Italian Navy. The class is composed of eight vessels, all of which were built by Fincantieri S.p.A., Riva Trigoso, except for Grecale, which was built by Fincantieri S.p.A. – Muggiano, La Spezia.
The Aster 15 and Aster 30 are a Franco-Italian family of all-weather, vertical launch surface-to-air missiles. The name "Aster" stands for "Aérospatiale Terminale", with French company Aérospatiale having been the project's lead contractor before its missile activities were merged into MBDA. It also takes inspiration from the word "aster", meaning "star" in Ancient Greek. The missiles as well as the related weapon systems are manufactured by Eurosam, a consortium consisting of MBDA France, MBDA Italy and Thales, each holding a 33.3% share.
The Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) is a joint programme developed by France, Italy, and the United Kingdom for an integrated anti-aircraft warfare system. The prime contractor is EUROPAAMS, a joint venture between Eurosam (66%) and UKAMS (33%). In the United Kingdom, PAAMS has been given the designation Sea Viper.
The FREMM, which stands for "European multi-purpose frigate", is a Franco-Italian family of multi-purpose frigates designed by Naval Group and Fincantieri. In France, this surface combatant is known as the "Aquitaine class", while in Italy it is known as the "Bergamini class". The lead ship of the class, Aquitaine, was commissioned in November 2012 by the French Navy. Italy has ordered six general purpose and four anti-submarine variants. France, on the other hand, has ordered six anti-submarine variants and two air-defense ones.
Operation Atalanta, formally European Union Naval ForceSomalia, is an ongoing counter-piracy military operation at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean, that is the first naval operation conducted by the European Union (EU), in support of United Nations resolutions 1814, 1816, 1838, and 1846 adopted in 2008 by the United Nations Security Council. Since 29 March 2019, the operational headquarters is located at Naval Station Rota in Spain, having moved from London as a result of the British withdrawal from the EU.
Virginio Fasan has been borne by at least two ships of the Italian Navy in honour of Virginio Fasan and may refer to:
Normandie (D651) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy. The Aquitaine class were developed from the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Bretagne (D655) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy. The Aquitaine class were developed from the European multi-mission frigate (FREMM) program.
Alsace (D656) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy developed through the FREMM multipurpose frigate program. She is the first of two air-defence variants of the class known as FREMM DA in the program.
Carlo Bergamini(F 590) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. Which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Carlo Margottini(F 592) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. Which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Carabiniere is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy, which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Alpino(F 594) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. Which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Luigi Rizzo(F 595) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy which were developed from the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Federico Martinengo(F 596) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. The Carlo Bergamini class were developed from the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
Antonio Marceglia(F 597) is a Carlo Bergamini-class frigate of the Italian Navy. Which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.
ENS Al-Galala is a FREMM multipurpose frigate of the Egyptian Navy. Al-Galala was originally constructed as the Carlo Bergamini-class Spartaco Schergat before being acquired by Egypt and being renamed.
ENS Bernees is a FREMM multipurpose frigate of the Egyptian Navy. Bernees was originally constructed as the Carlo Bergamini-class Emilio Bianchi before being acquired by Egypt and being renamed.
Operation Aspides, also known as EUNAVFOR Aspides, is an EU military operation in response to Houthi engagements with international shipping in the Red Sea. Named after the Greek word for shields, Operation Aspides—unlike the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian—is a "purely defensive" mission to increase maritime surveillance in the region, provide escort to merchant vessels, and defend against strikes.