"I am very, very pleased regarding Portugal’s decision to buy three FREMM EVO frigates from Fincantieri," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said today.
Announcement in Washington with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro
The declaration came at a joint press conference in Washington, where Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. Meloni framed the planned sale as both an endorsement of the Italian defense industry and as a step toward "how Europe can reinforce its autonomy by investing in its own technological capacity and companies." She added that she saw the transaction as "an opportunity for us to work closer within the maritime domain."
The source material reports that Portugal plans to purchase three frigates from the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. A Fincantieri spokesperson declined to comment for this report.
Price reporting and earlier coverage
CNN Portugal previously reported in December that a deal was in the works. In the Washington announcement coverage cited today, Prime Minister Montenegro was quoted as saying the sale would be worth nearly €3.9 billion, which the source translates to $4.6 billion.
Beyond the price figure cited from Montenegro and media reporting, the announcement in Washington supplied no additional contract terms, delivery schedules, or financing details in the material provided here.
What Fincantieri says about the FREMM EVO
Fincantieri markets the FREMM EVO as the "evolution" of its original FREMM program, offering two variants according to the shipbuilder's website. The company lists the ships as 144 meters (472 feet) long with a maximum continuous speed of over 27 knots (31 mph).
Fincantieri also describes enhancements it associates with the EVO line: "The two new units will be at the forefront of defense vessels, both in terms of technology and performance, building on the main technological developments already achieved in recent programs and further improving capabilities through the integration of the latest anti-drone and unmanned systems across three domains," the company says.
What this means for Portugal, Italy, and Fincantieri
- Portugal: The planned purchase of three FREMM EVO frigates, at a reported value of nearly €3.9 billion, represents a major naval procurement decision announced publicly by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. The purchase, as presented by Meloni, aligns with a stated aim of reinforcing domestic access to advanced maritime platforms.
- Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized the sale as recognition of the Italian defense industry and as part of a broader European effort to invest in technological capacity and companies. The announcement positions Italy as the exporter in a strategic maritime procurement.
- Fincantieri: The shipbuilder supplies the FREMM EVO platform and highlights the class’s length, speed, variant structure, and integration of anti-drone and unmanned systems. For the company, the transaction would represent a significant commercial engagement, although a Fincantieri spokesperson declined to comment for the reporting cited here.
Observations and questions left by the announcement
The public record provided in this report links three separate elements: a political announcement in Washington, a price figure attributed to Portugal’s prime minister, and Fincantieri’s own public description of the FREMM EVO line. What remains unspecified in the material presented are the contract mechanics — signature date, payment and financing arrangements, industrial offsets, shipyard responsibilities, and delivery schedule. The report also cites a Fincantieri website description that refers to "two new units" while the announcement refers to three frigates; both statements are recorded here without interpretation.
The announcement will likely prompt follow-up reporting on contract finalization, the number and cadence of deliveries, and any operational or industrial cooperation arrangements between Portugal and Italian firms.
Original reporting: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/portugal-to-purchase-three-frigates-from-italys-fincantieri-meloni/
