Navigating New Depths: Fincantieri and Leonardo Unite for Underwater Innovation
Fincantieri and Leonardo are enhancing their partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding focused on the subaqueous domain, aiming to combine their respective skills and proficiencies in this area. This initiative also arises from the forthcoming establishment of the National Underwater Hub (Polo nazionale della Subacquea), the Italian center dedicated to boosting research and innovation in the underwater domain, ensuring its protection and fostering industrial and economic avenues.
The formal agreement was executed by the CEOs of both corporations, Pierroberto Folgiero and Roberto Cingolani, in the presence of Admiral Enrico Credendino, Commander of the Italian Navy.
Specifically, the pact targets the collaborative creation of a network of platforms alongside surveillance, monitoring, and defense systems for essential infrastructures and underwater maritime regions, addressing the demands expressed at the national level and within the framework of European initiatives. Additionally, the companies seek to maintain and advance their respective capabilities to deliver prospective clients with cutting-edge systems featuring high performance and competitiveness.
The enhancement of the Italian supply chain is also envisioned through the assistance of SMEs and start-ups, which will be invited to contribute to the progression of innovative technologies tailored for this specific environment and from a multi-domain perspective.
The focus of cooperation also encompasses safeguarding strategic underwater networks, cables, communication backbones, offshore structures, underwater threat detection systems, as well as securing exploration, seabed mining, and extraction activities for accessing precious mineral resources.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, stated: “Our collaboration with Leonardo, already solidified through the Orizzonte Sistemi Navali joint enterprise, is further reinforced with this Memorandum of Understanding in the underwater arena. This signifies a domain filled with possibilities on which Fincantieri aims to concentrate with vigor: from the defense of critical underwater infrastructures to the utilization of drones. Our objective is to keep innovating the sector with pioneering solutions.”
“The profound depths of the underwater realm unveil a new frontier of security that must be navigated with the creation of next-generation technologies. This endeavor must necessarily be multidisciplinary, through the robust synergy of national industry, which possesses exceptional, cutting-edge, and globally recognized expertise. The strategic aim is to ensure surveillance, security, and flourishing of the underwater domain,” remarked Roberto Cingolani, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo, adding: “Together with Fincantieri, we are developing an offering dedicated to this domain, leveraging our most established knowledge and competencies, such as sensors and both manned and unmanned systems.”
Fincantieri and Leonardo have maintained a collaborative relationship for years within the naval industry, merging their expertise as global leaders in both the design and construction of surface vessels and underwater craft, as well as in naval combat systems. The latter includes command and control, sensors, secure communications and data links, effectors, integrated navigation systems, and multi-domain Modeling and Simulation capabilities.
The enterprises also possess specialized knowledge in remote piloting solutions and their complete integration into naval units.
