The future Italian DDX destroyer will have unrivaled firepower in Europe in 2030.

The future DDX destroyer of the Italian Navy, which is due to enter service at the end of the decade, promises to surpass, in terms of tonnage and firepower, all the large surface combatant units in Europe and the Mediterranean. We now know a little more about this ship which will perhaps mark the revival of the cruiser in European navies.

In July 2019, the Italian Navy General Staff presented a plan of great ambitionn, to make it, by 2035, the most powerful naval force in the Mediterranean.

Beyond the 38.000-ton Trieste aircraft carrier intended to implement F-35B fighters and the 30.000-ton Cavour also dedicated to this function, the plan provided for it to line up three large carrier assault ships by this time. -20.000 ton helicopters which will replace the 3 LHDs of the San Giorgio class.

These will be accompanied by 10 FREMM frigates of the Bergamini class, 7 PPA medium frigates of the Thaon di Revel class, 8 3-ton corvettes from the European Patrol Corvette program, 000 4-ton Offshore Patrol Vessels of the Comandanti class, 1500 mine warfare ships, as well as three large logistics ships of the Vulcano and Etna class.

In addition, it will have 8 to 12 Type 212 conventional anaerobic propulsion submarines, and 4 destroyers, two of the 7-ton Horizon class, already in service, identical to the 000 French anti-aircraft defense frigates of the Forbin class, and above all two new heavy destroyers over 10.000 tons which will replace the two Durand de la Penne anti-aircraft destroyers.

The Italian Navy, the leading European naval power in 2030?

It is clear today that despite the political instability of the country and the doubts that emerged during the presentation of this plan, Rome seems, in fact, determined to give it substance.

In fact, with 2 aircraft carriers, 3 large assault ships, 4 destroyers, 17 frigates, 8 corvettes and at least 8 submarines, it will have a naval force significantly larger than the Royal Navy and the French Navy. , which nevertheless must defend 3 maritime facades (Mediterranean, Atlantic and English Channel), and an exclusive economic zone 12 times larger, not to mention the overseas territories.

It is true that these navies can rely on clean technologies, such as nuclear-powered submarines or significantly more powerful aircraft carriers.

The colossal power of the new Italian DDX destroyer

However, Rome is on the verge of restoring balance, not only in Europe, but also vis-à-vis the Russian Navy, at least in the area of ​​large surface ships. Indeed, its two future large destroyers, currently being designed, promise to have firepower that is simply unequaled in Europe.

Initially, these ships must already have been remarkably imposing and armed, with a tonnage of 10.000 tons, 8 SYLVER vertical silo systems, 1 127 mm cannon and 3 76 mm Strales cannons, as well as 16 long-range anti-ship missiles.

But it seems, according to the Italian specialized press, that these characteristics, already more than impressive in the European theater, have been revised upwards.

Indeed, according to these sources, the two ships will reach a loaded tonnage of 13.500 tonnes, almost twice that of the Horizon or Type 45 destroyers, today the most powerful surface ships in Europe.

12 SYLVER for 96 Aster 30, Aster Block 1NT and MdCN missiles

Above all, the naval artillery would have been revised downwards, with "only" one 127 mm cannon and one 76 mm cannon, to accommodate no longer 8, but 12 SYLVER 50 and 70 systems, i.e. a carrying capacity of 96 siled missiles, to which will be added the probable 16 long-range anti-ship missiles initially planned.

In other words, these ships will have the firepower of 3 FREMM frigates, one Alsace with 32 Aster 30 missiles and 2 Aquitaines with 16 Aster and 16 MdCN, the Italian destroyer also having to carry SYLVER 70s for this purpose.

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