Oto Melara MoU With French Navy For Super Rapid Guns Maintenance

Finmeccanica-OTO Melara signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the french Navy for the execution in La Spezia of the maintenance activities on the 76/62 Super Rapid (SR) naval guns installed on board the Horizon Class Frigates.

The agreement was signed by Adm. Donato Marzano, Commander of the Italian Navy Logistic Department, Roberto Cortesi OTO Melara CEO and the Central Director of the Fleet Support Service of the French Navy, François Pintart.

The Memorandum, signed on the occasion of the 6° Horizon Program Steering Committee, not only consolidate and gives directions to the main Italian-French initiatives relevant to the support in service of the Horizon Class ships, but represents the first step towards a wider agreement that could also include maintenance activities to be performed on the 76/62 Super Rapid guns onboard the French FREMM.

The signature of this MOU represents both an important effort that shows how it is possible to create collaborations among the European Armed Forces for a joint defense and also significant industrial opportunities for the La Spezia area.

The MOU follows the contract recently signed by the French Navy and OTO Melara for the general overhaul of the 76/62 SR guns on board the Chevalier Paul and Forbin vessels that also includes the calibration of the guns ashore and on board, performed by the “Center for the Naval Support and Experimentation” (CSSN) of the Italian Navy.