Trieste, October 1, 2026 – The keel-laying ceremony for the second next-generation U212NFS (Near Future Submarine) destined for the Italian Navy was held at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard, as part of the program for the construction of four submarines and the development of the related logistic support, managed and entrusted to OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement), the international organization responsible for managing cooperative programmes in the Defence sector. Delivery of the second unit is scheduled for 2030.
The U212NFS submarines class represents a substantial evolution compared to to its U212A predecessors, thanks to greater design maturity, a higher level of Italian-developed technology, and enhanced integration of onboard systems. Innovations developed by Italian industry, including the lithium-ion propulsion battery and the new combat management system, will ensure greater stealth, endurance, efficiency, and cyber resilience.
The U212NFS program contributes to preserving and enhancing national industrial know-how, strengthening Fincantieri’s role as design authority and prime contractor and supporting the growth of the Italian industry’s capabilities in the submarine sector. The program has also recently been strengthened through contractual integration, which has expanded activities relating to new technological capabilities and the integrated logistic support of the units, further strengthening Fincantieri’s capabilities throughout the submarines’ entire lifecycle.
Within this framework, the Muggiano shipyard confirms its strategic role in the construction of platforms for the Italian Navy’s submarine force. With more than a century of experience and over one hundred submarines built, the shipyard is one of Italy’s leading centers of excellence for the design and construction of technologically advanced underwater units.
The keel-laying of the second unit further confirms the production continuity of the U212NFS program and Fincantieri’s ability to integrate shipbuilding expertise, advanced technologies and know-how, together with the excellence of the Italian industrial supply chain, in support of the development of national underwater capabilities.
This article was originally published by Fincantieri.
