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Vulcano Logistic Support Ship (LSS)
AOR NEWCON
Comando e Supporto Logistico (AGF/AOR)

On 12 March 2021 the logistic support ship LSS “Vulcano”, ordered to Fincantieri within the renewal plan of the Italian Navy’s fleet, was delivered by the Naval Integrated shipyard in Muggiano. The project of “Vulcano” underlies the FLOTLOG (“Flotte Logistique”) program, consisting in the construction of four LSS destined to the French Navy, by the temporary consortium between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group under the Italian-French LSS Program led by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation). The construction of the forward sections of these ships has been commissioned to Fincantieri, which last month has laid the keel of the first vessel at its shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia (Naples).

The vessel “Vulcano” is classified by RINA pursuant international conventions about prevention of pollution regarding the more traditional aspects, like the ones of the MARPOL Convention, as well as those not yet mandatory, as the Hong Kong Convention about ship recycling.

The LSS is a vessel that provides logistics support to the fleet, endowed with hospital and healthcare capabilities thanks to the presence of a fully equipped hospital, complete with operating rooms, radiology and analysis rooms, a dentist’s office and hospital rooms that will be capable of hosting up to 17 seriously injured patients. The ship combines capacity to transport and transfer to other transport vessels used for liquids (diesel fuel, jet fuel, fresh water) and solids (emergency spare parts, food and ammunitions) and to perform at sea repairs and maintenance work for other vessels. The defense systems are related to the capacity of command and control in tactical scenarios, communications and dissuasive, non-lethal defense systems. The vessel is also capable of embarking more complex defence systems and becoming an intelligence and electronic war platform.

According to the Defense white paper "Investing In Security - Transforming the Italian Military" published in early 2006, logistical support at sea will be guaranteed by a new class of refueling ships that will eventually replace the current Stromboli and Etna classes.

The LSS is a logistical support unit to the fleet also equipped with hospital and healthcare capacity thanks to the presence of a fully equipped hospital, with operating theaters, radiology and analysis, dental surgery, and area hospital able to receive up to 12 hospitalized severe. The ship is capable of combining transport capacity and transfer to other naval units of liquid cargo (diesel fuel, aviation fuel, fresh water) and solids (respect parts, food and ammunition) and to carry out at sea in favor of other unit operations repair and maintenance. The defense systems are limited to the command and control capabilities in tactical scenarios, Communications and dissuasive non-lethal defense systems. The unit is also able to take on more complex defense systems and become a platform for intelligence and electronic warfare systems.

As of 2015, with a displacement of 23,000t, a length and beam of 165 meters [535 feet] and 24 meters respectively, the LSS will be fully-compliant to double-hull and latest MARPOL requirements, with a diesel-electric propulsion generating a top speed of 20 knots and an endurance of 7,000nm at 16 knots. With rotary-wing accommodation for two EH-101 helicopters capable to operate from the stern deck, and hospital areas for NATO Role 2 capabilities with 20 beds and 5 intensive care units, the LSS will be able to sustain a group of 4-5 ships for 15 days in out-of-area operations.

It will be equipped with four side stations for fuel and potable water, two for heavy-duty payloads and a rear fuel transfer station, in addition to providing electrical power ashore, carrying 6,700, 3,700 and 800 cubic metres of naval and air carburant plus water, as well as 220t of ammunition, 30,000 food rations and 8 containers.

The LSS will offer accommodation for 200 persons, of which 167 are crew, with a modern combat system including surveillance radar, EW suite, IRST and military SATCOM. The armament suite will include a 76/62 mm SUPER RAPID gun in STRALES configuration and two-25 mm guns.

The LSS’ steel cut was planned for first-quarter of 2016, with delivery in 2019.

The launching ceremony of the LSS logistic support unit “Vulcano”, took place 22 June 2018 at the Muggiano (La Spezia) facility of the Naval Integrated shipyard, in the presence of the Italian Minister of Defence, Elisabetta Trenta, who was welcomed by the CEO of Fincantieri Giuseppe Bono and its Chairman Giampiero Massolo. The unit was ordered to Fincantieri within the renewal plan of the Italian Navy’s fleet.

The godmother of the ship was Mrs. Maria Teresa Piras, who also was the godmother at the launch of the section of the same unit in Castellammare di Stabia, widow of the lieutenant of vessel Emilio Attramini, who died in the air accident of the Monte Serra. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the Chief of Defense, General Claudio Graziano, and the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli.

The multi-year program for the renewal of the Italian Navy’s fleet foresees the construction, besides the LSS, of one transport and landing unit (LHD or Landing Helicopter Dock) - under construction in this same shipyard with delivery in 2022 - as well as seven Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Ships (PPA), with other three in option. The launch of the first is scheduled in 2019, with delivery in 2021. The following deliveries will take place in 2022, 2023, 2024 (two units), 2025 and 2026.

The fundamental characteristic common to all three classes of ships is their high level of innovation providing them with a considerable degree of efficiency and flexibility in serving different mission profiles. In particular, these are dual use vessels, meaning that they may be used for both standard military purposes and those in favour of the community (as for example for civil protection), and they also have a low environmental impact thanks to a state-of-the-art auxiliary propulsion system generating a low level of pollution emissions (electric engines).

The vessel “Vulcano” will be classified by RINA pursuant international conventions about prevention of pollution regarding the more traditional aspects, like the ones of the MARPOL Convention, as well as those not yet mandatory, as the Hong Kong Convention about ship recycling.

The LSS is a vessel that provides logistics support to the fleet, endowed with hospital and healthcare capabilities thanks to the presence of a fully equipped hospital, complete with operating rooms, radiology and analysis rooms, a dentist’s office and hospital rooms that will be capable of hosting up to 17 seriously injured patients.

The ship combines capacity to transport and transfer to other transport vessels used for liquids (diesel fuel, jet fuel, fresh water) and solids (emergency spare parts, food and ammunitions) and to perform at sea repairs and maintenance work for other vessels. The defense systems are limited to the capacity of command and control in tactical scenarios, communications and dissuasive, non-lethal defense systems. The vessel is also capable of embarking more complex defence systems and becoming an intelligence and electronic war platform.