Italian frigate Luigi Rizzo bolsters NATO's air defence in Baltic operation

On 10 March, the Italian frigate Luigi Rizzo (F595) of the FREMM class entered the port of Gdynia. As part of strengthening NATO's eastern flank, the ship is conducting the "Brilliant Shield" operation in the Baltic, aiming to protect shipping routes and boost the alliance's air defence in the region. The vessel has been operating in the Baltic since January and will continue to do so for several months. It enters ports from time to time for crew rest and resupply. The latest visit coincided with the twenty-fifth anniversary of Poland's entry into NATO, and on this occasion, the ship was made available for public tours.

The FREMM frigates (FRegata Europea Multi-Missione) were developed jointly by France and Italy. On the French side, Naval Group is the main contractor, and in Italy, the joint venture Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, in which Fincantieri and Leonardo hold shares, participated. Work on developing these ships began in 2005.

The FREMMs were intended to replace several types of ships in the French and Italian fleets, designed from the outset to build variants on a single hull: anti-submarine warfare, general-purpose, and land attack. They were to differ in the set of sensors and armaments. During the development, the land attack variant was abandoned.

Initially, the Italian Navy planned to acquire four ships in the anti-submarine warfare variant and six in the general-purpose version. In 2013, a decision was made to order two additional frigates in the general-purpose configuration. In 2020, two universal units still under production were sold to Egypt. In return, two additional ships in a modified configuration combining features of the anti-submarine and general-purpose variants were ordered for the Italian Navy. In 2023, plans were announced to order two more frigates in a new configuration and with some changes in sensors and armament designated as FREMM-EVO.

The frigate Luigi Rizzo was built in the general-purpose variant. It has a length of 144 metres, a width of 20 metres, and a draught of 8.5 metres. The total displacement is 7,400 tons. The ship can reach a speed of 55 km/h, and its range is about 12,800 kilometres at a speed of 28 km/h. The propulsion system consists of a single GE/Fiat-Avio LM2500+G4 turbine generating 58,000 horsepower driving two propellers. The crew consists of 131 officers and sailors plus helicopter crews and support personnel, totaling either 14 or 23 soldiers depending on whether the ship hosts one or two helicopters.

The armament includes 16 vertical launch system (VLS) cells Sylver A50 for Aster-15 and Aster-30 anti-air missiles, a universal Oto Melara 127/64LW gun with a 5-inch calibre adapted for firing Vulcano ammunition, a universal Oto Melara 76/62SR Super Rapid gun with a 3-inch calibre adapted for firing STRALES and DART ammunition, two remote-controlled KBA 25/80 stations with 1-inch calibre guns, two quad anti-ship missile launchers Teseo Mk.2, two triple torpedo launchers with 32 cm calibre torpedoes MU90 Impact, and two chaff launchers SCLAR-H.

The ship has a helicopter deck and hangar for two aircraft of the NH90 size or one NH90 and one AW101. In the hangars on both broadsides and at the stern are hidden three inspection boats. Additionally, space in the hull is reserved for a second set of 16 VLS cells Sylver A50 or larger Sylver A70 adapted for firing cruise missiles, but the Italians do not intend to use this option for the time being.

The ship is equipped with a comprehensive package of sensors. The primary one is the Selex EMPAR SPY-790 MFRA multifunction radar with an active phased-array antenna that allows simultaneous airspace scanning, target tracking, and weapon guidance. It is a three-dimensional radar operating in the C-band capable of tracking up to 300 flying and surface targets. It can detect not only aircraft and helicopters but also sea-skimming anti-ship missiles flying a few metres above the sea surface. It is the main sensor for guiding Aster-15 and Aster-30 air-to-sea missiles. The detection range exceeds 150 kilometres for aircraft-sized targets and 25 kilometres for missile-sized targets. EMPAR offers a continuous 360-degree observation field.

Another radar is the multifunctional Selex RAN-30X operating in the X-band. It detects flying and sea targets up to 100 kilometres away, provides navigation and guidance for onboard helicopters, long-range radar surveillance (about 200 kilometres), and detects incoming anti-ship missiles. Unlike EMPAR, this radar has a rotating antenna, and the ability to perform any of the previously mentioned functions depends on the antenna's rotation speed, among other factors. The radar can track up to 255 targets simultaneously.

The ship also houses two Selex NA-25X fire control stations. These devices integrate a small radar, a daylight camera, and a thermal camera for artillery fire control. With one device located at the bow and the other at the stern, they allow for directing fire from all onboard guns at several land, air, and sea targets simultaneously. Another sensor is the thermal imager SASS. It is a passive optoelectronic head that detects infrared radiation. It can track up to 100 targets in a 360-degree range around the ship.

Onboard is also a suite for electronic intelligence and warfare, consisting of the interrogator IFF TSB 3520, Thales Vigile electronic recognition system, NETTUNO 4100 jamming devices, and another Thales Altesse system for electromagnetic emissions detection. They enable the detection, classification, and localization of transmitters for all electromagnetic emissions, including radars and communication. They also allow for simultaneously jamming multiple radars, including those installed on anti-ship missiles.

As mentioned, the visit of the Italian ship to Gdynia is associated with the "Brilliant Shield" operation, aimed at protecting shipping routes and reinforcing the air defence of the alliance, especially in the Polish coastal area. This is a strategically important area not only for Poland, which has many critical infrastructure sites in this region: a refinery, ports, airports, but also for NATO, which uses our ports for the transfer of troops from other countries. Although there are several allied air defence units deployed on Polish territory, they focus on the country's eastern border. Meanwhile, to provide coverage for the north, warships have been dispatched.

As mentioned, FREMM frigates boast a rich set of anti-aircraft armaments, and a key element is 16 vertical launch system (VLS) cells Sylver A50 for launching Aster-15 and Aster-30 missiles. The former are used for the ship's self-defence, and the latter for defending a larger area. The Aster-15 has a range of about 30 kilometres and reaches a speed of Mach 3, while the larger Aster-30 has a range of about 120 kilometres and accelerates to Mach 4.5.

The main difference between the missiles is the additional rocket stage in the Aster-30, which contains extra fuel and a more powerful engine. The warhead in both cases is the same. In the initial flight phase, the target is indicated to the missiles by the ship's radar, and in the final phase, the missiles hone in on the target with their own radar. The missiles are controlled through aerodynamic surfaces, but they also have thrust vectoring nozzles, allowing them to perform very tight manoeuvres with high g-forces. Together, this achieves a very high probability of hitting the target.

Luigi Rizzo is already the third Italian ship operating in the Baltic. The first was the destroyer Caio Duilio, followed by the FREMM frigate Antonio Marceglia. Modern frigates and destroyers have very high capabilities in terms of air defence. They can be compared to a floating combined battery of Wisla and Narew air defence systems. Polish frigates of the Miecznik type, which will form the northern wing of the country's air defence system in a few years, will also play such a role.