Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, the joint venture owned by Fincantieri and Leonardo, has signed a €3.7 billion agreement with OCCAR for two next-generation Ddx destroyers destined for the Marina Militare. The package covers development, production, logistical studies and initial in-service support, with about €1.3 billion identified as an option.
A joint venture delivers the contract
The agreement was signed by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture in which Fincantieri holds 51% and Leonardo 49%. Its customer is OCCAR, the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation, described in the source as a European structure that manages joint defence programmes between member countries. The arrangement places the prime contract with the venture rather than directly with either shareholder. For procurement readers, that distinction matters: a jointly owned industrial vehicle can act as the contracting party while assigning substantial work to its participating companies through later supply contracts.
The scope includes ships and through-life support
The agreement covers two Ddx destroyers for the Italian Navy and includes development, production, logistical studies and initial in-service support. The source puts the overall value at €3.7 billion, with about €1.3 billion in option work. An option is a defined part of a procurement arrangement that may be taken up under the contract, rather than work automatically included in the initial commitment. Here, the option is attached to the wider package, so the headline value should be read alongside the distinction between the core agreement and the additional scope identified by OCCAR.
Subcontracts will allocate the industrial work
Orizzonte Sistemi Navali said it would conclude sub-supply contracts with Fincantieri and Leonardo in the coming weeks. The contract for Fincantieri is expected to be worth about €1.8 billion, including around €800 million in options. Leonardo’s contract is expected to be worth about €1.7 billion, including around €480 million in options. These figures describe the planned allocation from the joint venture to its two shareholders; they are not presented as separate awards by OCCAR. The structure therefore shows how a prime contract can sit above substantial shareholder-level delivery contracts.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Overall agreement | €3.7 billion |
| Ships | Two Ddx destroyers |
| Customer | OCCAR |
| Option in overall package | About €1.3 billion |
| Fincantieri stake in OSN | 51% |
| Leonardo stake in OSN | 49% |
| Fincantieri sub-supply contract | About €1.8 billion |
| Leonardo sub-supply contract | About €1.7 billion |
The agreement covers development, production, logistical studies and initial in-service support.
WHY IT MATTERS
The deal illustrates a layered defence procurement model: a European joint-programme organisation contracts with a joint venture, which then plans substantial sub-supply agreements with its shareholder companies. Understanding the prime contract, options and downstream awards helps distinguish the total programme value from the work allocated to individual suppliers.
Reported from repubblica.it, 2026-09-24. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
