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Pattugliatore d’Altura Multirolo (PAM)

The Italian Navy, faced like many other European countries with significant budget challenges, was working on different solutions to reduce costs and allow the renewal of its resources. It was in this perspective that the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi, presented to the committees of defense of the House of Representatives and the Senate a vision paper on the face of the fleet Italian 2025. This paper included an ambitious project to renew twenty surface vessels by multi-mission units adopting the same design.

The Pattugliatore Altura Multirolo (PAM) would complement the air defense frigates Caio Duilio and Andrea Doria (152.9 meters, 7050 tons at full load), delivered in 2008 and 2009, as well as the 10 multi-mission frigates (140.4 meters, 5950 tons), the first (Carlo Bergamini) was delivered in 2012 and the second (Virginio Fasan) should be this year, eight more to be completed between 2015 and 2021.

Alongside these leading heavily armed frigates, PAM was supposed to succeed over the 10 to 15 years 2020-2025 to five ship types currently in service in the Italian Navy. Not only the four patrollers Cassiopea design (79.8 meters 1,475 tons), commissioned in 1989 and 1990 and the six corvettes Minerva design (86.6 meters tpc 1285, 1987-1991) but also three frigates Type Artigliere (113.2 meters, 2,525 tons, 1995-1996) and even the recent four patrol type Commandante Cigala Fulgosi (88.4 meters, 1520 tons, 2001-2002).

Not surprisingly, the Italian Navy also wants to construct two new air defense frigates to succeed the Luigi Durand de la Penne and Francesco Mimbelli (147.7 meters 5400 tons, built in 1993), whose replacement would also be integrated into the MAP. For the record, these two ships must be disarmed in 2016, their weapons system then arriving at the end of life.

The objective of the PAM project was to replace the bulk of the Italian fleet surface by a versatile platform to achieve significant economies of scale, both for construction and for maintenance and even operation, with needs reduced in terms of staff training, the crews becoming interchangeable. For this, a highly modular architecture was conceived so that buildings were more or less equipped and can thus generate different types of mission. The proposed size for PAM could reach around 140 to 150 meters, which places more in the category of shore patrol frigates that, as suggested by the Italian word "Pattugliatore."

It would be a monohull of about 5,000 tonnes displacement with a strong stealth and high speed (35 knots). The mission profile can be continuously reconfigured by adding containerized modules, like the American LCS, so that the PAM (Patrol offshore multi-role) to go from being a patrol boat, a minesweeper, a hospital ship or aid, or a ship anti-piracy. In addition the class will also have a substantial missile armament (16-32 Sylver A70 launchers) was therefore a real frigate.

A great template which allows to consider many architectural options, and through a large reserve space to provide for the integration of future equipment. The basic armament includes a 127mm turret, a 76mm gun and light artillery, with the ability to carry a surface-to-air system with vertical launch anti-ship missiles and four torpedo tubes, and decoy launchers. Aviation facilities were designed for two helicopters of the type AW101 Merlin. As for electronics, air sensors would essentially be grouped in an integrated mast, and also with a bow sonar.

The platform offers different areas that can be reconfigured depending on the mission. Thus, the central part, at the chimney, would have a significant deck area with a crane to install fast boats or containers (around 24 TEU). At the rear, under the helicopter platform, would be a large compartment that can accommodate different equipment or cargo, including vehicles, embarked and disembarked through a side door and ramp.

PAM could thus be rigged for operations monitoring and control of maritime space, with the ability to intervene in the conflict areas of medium intensity, but also humanitarian missions requiring freight and vehicles, such as handling equipment. Buildings could also, in this perspective, be equipped with powerful generators to provide electricity to the ground in a disaster zone, as well as an important means of producing potable water supply for the local population.

There was no clarity on the numbers but the navy would like between 10 and 15 as there were many hopes on its potential for export. It seems to have many features in common with the smaller Litoral Combat Ship (3,000 tons displacement versus 5,000), developing on behalf of the US Navy by consortium led by Lockheed-Martin, and part of which was Fincantieri. Similar units were being developed by all major European navies - Spain with the F-110, Germany with the MKS-180, the British with the concept of the New Black Swan, and even the French have an initial requirement for something along these lines.

Note that the Marina Militare, which emphasized the importance of launching such a program in order to renew its resources and continue to carry out its missions, believes that the future PAM should from the outset to integrate the perspective of export sales, which would further strengthen the economies of scale and boost economic benefits for the Italian industry.