Italy launches procurement for two next-generation air defense destroyers.

Italy has formally opened the procurement pathway for two next-generation air-defense destroyers after publishing a prior information notice in the EU’s Official Journal on January 5, 2026. The move signals a long-term investment in high-end naval air defense, ensuring the Italian Navy can replace its most capable surface combatants and remain interoperable with NATO partners.

Italy has taken a concrete step toward renewing the backbone of its surface fleet, formally initiating the acquisition process for two next-generation air-defense destroyers. According to a prior information notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union on January 5, 2026, the Italian Ministry of Defense plans to begin a negotiated procurement procedure on February 18, 2026, backed by an overall financial envelope of approximately 2.7 billion euros, excluding VAT. Defense officials and industry sources describe the move as a key milestone in replacing the Navy’s aging top-tier air-defense ships with more capable and future-ready platforms.
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The DDX destroyers are intended to replace the two Durand de la Penne-class ships, Durand de la Penne and Francesco Mimbelli, which entered service in the early 1990s and have provided Italy with a credible area air-defense capability for more than three decades (Picture source: Italian Navy)

The DDX destroyers are intended to replace the two Durand de la Penne-class ships, Durand de la Penne and Francesco Mimbelli, which entered service in the early 1990s and have provided Italy with a credible area air-defense capability for more than three decades. While those vessels have undergone multiple upgrades, Italian naval planners acknowledge that their sensor architecture, missile capacity, and growth margins are no longer sufficient to address emerging threats or to sustain Italy’s role as a framework nation in NATO maritime task groups.

The roots of the DDX program can be traced to a December 15, 2021 contract awarded to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali for risk-reduction activities and design definition of a new generation destroyer. That contract was divided into a feasibility phase and a project-definition phase, aimed at consolidating operational requirements and validating technical solutions. The latest notice is therefore significant because it converts that groundwork into a concrete acquisition path, one that already includes through-life support, system upgrades, and technology evolution across the ships’ entire service life, rather than focusing solely on hull construction.

Industrial continuity is a central pillar of the program. Open-source documentation highlights that the DDX design is an evolution based on the FREMM Evolution baseline currently under construction, itself derived from the in-service FREMM multipurpose frigates. Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, bringing together Fincantieri and Leonardo, is described as holding the relevant industrial know-how and intellectual-property rights, which Rome uses to justify a negotiated procedure without a traditional open competition. In practical terms, Italy appears to be prioritizing schedule certainty and integration risk reduction over competitive tendering, a choice that reflects the complexity of modern air-defense destroyers and the urgency of replacing aging assets.

The DDX destroyers are expected to be among the largest surface combatants ever operated by the Italian Navy. The ships are projected to measure around 175 meters in length, with a beam of 24 meters and a draught of approximately 9 meters, and to accommodate a crew of more than 300 personnel. Propulsion will rely on a CODOGAL configuration combining diesel engines, gas turbines, and electric propulsion, enabling both high-speed performance above 30 knots and efficient, quieter cruising for extended operations.

Firepower and sensor capacity are at the heart of the design. The destroyers are expected to feature six eight-cell vertical launch system modules, allowing the embarkation of up to 48 Aster surface-to-air missiles. This configuration would significantly enhance Italy’s area air-defense and fleet protection capabilities, particularly against saturation attacks involving cruise missiles and unmanned systems. Italian Navy officials have also previously signaled interest in integrating a land-attack capability, potentially through a navalized SCALP cruise missile or the Teseo Mk2/Evolved missile, which offers both anti-ship and littoral strike functions. Such an option would provide Italy with a sovereign maritime strike capability of considerable strategic relevance.

Aviation facilities will support sustained helicopter operations, with a rear flight deck and hangar sized for two EH101 or two SH90 naval helicopters. This capability underlines the destroyers’ intended role as multi-mission platforms, able to support anti-submarine warfare, maritime security operations, and command-and-control tasks for carrier or amphibious groups. Leonardo is widely expected to supply advanced radar, combat management, and electronic warfare systems, although final configurations will only be confirmed once the production contract is awarded.

Strategically, the DDX program reinforces Italy’s determination to maintain a top-tier escort layer for national and NATO missions at a time of renewed maritime competition. Italian defense planning documents for 2025 to 2027 suggest that the first two units are only the opening phase of a broader renewal effort. Beyond replacing the Durand de la Penne-class, additional ships are envisaged in the longer term to eventually succeed the Andrea Doria-class destroyers, ensuring continuity of Italy’s high-end surface warfare capabilities well into the 2030s and beyond.

If the February 18 launch proceeds as planned, the DDX tender will mark the definitive start of Italy’s next-generation destroyer era. For the Italian Navy, it promises a generational leap in air defense and command capability. For the national defense industry, it secures a flagship program that combines industrial sovereignty with long-term technological relevance, reinforcing Italy’s position as a leading European naval power in an increasingly contested Mediterranean theater.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.