La Spezia, Italy – 12 December 2025 – The “First Steel Cut” ceremony for the fourth U212 Near Future Submarine (NFS 4) was held at Fincantieri’s Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia, marking a major milestone in the U212 NFS Programme managed by OCCAR on behalf of the Italian Navy.
The first steel cutting, attended by various guests including Fincantieri’s shipyard workforce and representatives of the Italian Defence, was triggered jointly by Rear Admiral Francesco Milazzo, Head of the Submarines and Underwater Dimension Department of the Italian Navy General Staff, Decio Trinca, OCCAR U212 NFS Programme Manager, Dr. Eugenio Santagata, General Manager of the Naval Vessels Division at Fincantieri, and Eng. Antonio Quintano, Director of the Muggiano Shipyard.
This ceremony officially launches the construction of the fourth submarine within the U212 NFS Programme, alongside three units already under construction at the Muggiano shipyard. Reaching this level of parallel production demonstrates a remarkable industrial capability, the sustained commitment of the Italian Navy, and the confidence placed in OCCAR to manage a highly complex and demanding programme.
Submarine construction represents one of the most challenging engineering endeavours, sharing more similarities with spacecraft manufacturing than with conventional shipbuilding. Only a limited number of nations worldwide possess the capability to design and build submarines. With a legacy of more than 100 submarines constructed, the Muggiano shipyard continues to play a strategic and historical role in sustaining Italy’s underwater capability.
Compared to the previous U212A class, the U212 NFS class represents a significant step forward in terms of design maturity and system integration, reflecting a stronger national technological drive. The programme includes the development and integration of highly innovative, nationally developed prototype systems, most notably the lithium propulsion battery system and the new combat system, delivering enhanced stealth, energy efficiency and cyber resilience while managing a high level of technical complexity.
In this context, the First Steel Cut of NFS 4 further confirms OCCAR’s role in steering the concurrent production of four submarines and in governing the integration of these advanced prototype systems across the programme. Through its structured management and acceleration processes, OCCAR ensures that technological innovation is introduced in a controlled and coherent manner, while maintaining the programme fully prepared to accommodate additional future capabilities and evolving national requirements.