Thales strengthens its support to the Italian Navy with the new Navy Service Centre in Taranto and two multi-year support contracts

• The collaboration between Thales and the Italian Navy is intensifying: Italian FREMM (Multipurpose Frigate) class frigates are now supported by a new maintenance centre located at the Taranto Naval Base.
• The relationship is further consolidated by the signing, through OCCAR and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, of a 4-year logistic support contract, covering the maintenance of the sonar suites¹ and electronic warfare solutions² installed on the frigates of the FREMM class units, under the broader Through Life Sustainment Management (TLSM2) support contract.
• An additional contract was formalized by Thales as the lead company of a temporary grouping of companies (RTI) with Leonardo to provide 18-month operational support for the Sonar systems on board the GAETA-class minehunters, enhancing response effectiveness and timeliness.

Thales and the Italian Navy are further consolidating their cooperation in Italy with the opening of a modern service centre at the Taranto Arsenal, dedicated to the maintenance of sonars and equipment installed on the Italian Navy vessels.

This new facility enables the Italian Navy to cut intervention times by half on Thales systems, thanks to the deployment of highly qualified local experts and technicians. In addition, on-the-job training will be provided at this facility to Navy personnel on the maintenance of all supported systems, thus facilitating the transfer of specialized skills directly in the field.

Thales has invested in locating skilled personnel and technical resources within Italy, positioning them where they are most needed - right on the waterfronts of the major naval arsenals. This is a process of incremental and customized localization and proximity, transferring locally a strategic capital of technical expertise and technological instrumentation, at the service of Italy’s Defence.

The surveillance performance and reliability of Thales sonar systems in detecting and classifying submarines and underwater objects is now matched by a highly effective, responsive and local Logistic Support capability.

Thales reaffirms its commitment in supporting the Italian Navy, which in turn confirms its trust in the Group by assigning a dedicated infrastructure within the Arsenal of Taranto for the FREMM Through Life Sustainment Management programme.

This cooperation is further strengthened with the signing of two multi-year maintenance and support contracts: the first for FREMM Class frigates dedicated to the maintenance of the Integrated Sonar Suite and electronic warfare solutions², and the second for Gaeta Class minehunters, dedicated to the maintenance of the Variable Depth Sonar on board.

“We are extremely proud to work alongside the Italian Navy, helping to deliver faster and more efficient support services. We thank the Italian Navy for granting access to the seafront facility at Taranto Arsenal, where our Italian technical team operates. This hub enables us to carry out all levels of maintenance, from straightforward component replacements to the most complex tasks. With this initiative, we underscore our strong commitment and the value of Italian know-how in service of Italian Defence.” said Donato Amoroso, Thales Italia CEO & Country Director.

¹ ISS - Integrated Sonar Suite

² EWS/CESM - Electronic Warfare System/Communication Electronic Support Measures

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies. Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.