Italy could sell its last two FREMMs to Egypt

For the past few days, rumors have been running in the Italian press, following the revelations from Start Magazine, that Fincantieri and the Italian state are negotiating with Egypt for the sale of two FREMMs of the Bergamini class, taken from the last two buildings planned for the Marina militare. Such a sale would allow Egypt to complete its surface fleet, which already has a FREMM acquired in France in 2015.

Such a sale, if the financing agreements were to be found, would then be added to a long list of transactions made between Egypt and European shipbuilders since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Besides the FREMM ex -Normandia, locally designated Tahya Misr, the Egyptian Navy has acquired four Gowind corvettes, also designed by the French Naval Group and partly built locally, as well as two Mistral-type helicopter carriers initially built in France for the account of Russia. While an option for two more Gowinds was being discussed, Cairo finally decided last year to purchase six Meko 200 light frigates from the German TKMS, which also built the four Type 209 submarines ordered by Egypt between 2011 and 2014. Turning to Fincantieri for two new FREMMs, Egypt would then have a third supplier of major naval armaments in Europe, while Italy would make a major breakthrough in the Egyptian naval market, which is currently secured by French, German and American manufacturers.

The Marina militare ready to part with two FREMMs?

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