Portugal to Buy Three FREMM EVO Frigates From Italy in €3.9 Billion Deal

Portugal's Ministry of National Defence signed an agreement with Italy in Rome on July 20 for the acquisition of three FREMM EVO multi-role frigates for the Portuguese Navy, an investment of approximately €3.9 billion. The ships will be built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, with deliveries planned between 2029 and 2030.

The bilateral agreement was signed at the Army Palace in Rome in the presence of Portugal's Minister of National Defence and the Chief of Staff of the Navy, and was announced as Italy's Prime Minister confirmed the deal following talks between the two governments. The order is financed under SAFE (Security Action for Europe), the European Union's €150 billion joint procurement instrument, making it one of the first major naval programs funded through the mechanism.

Beyond the construction of the three vessels, the agreement covers maintenance, technology transfer and the conditions needed to operate the ships throughout a life cycle of at least 30 years, according to the Portuguese defence ministry.

The FREMM EVO is the latest evolution of the Franco-Italian FREMM family, one of Europe's most successful modern warship programs. The design adds improved radar, air-defence and anti-submarine capabilities to a hull already in service in large numbers: Italy operates nine Bergamini-class FREMMs and France eight Aquitaine-class ships, according to GlobalMilitary.net inventory data, while the United States Navy's Constellation class is derived from the same baseline design.

For Portugal, the purchase represents the most significant naval modernization in three decades. The new frigates are expected to replace the three Vasco da Gama-class frigates — MEKO 200 PN ships commissioned in the early 1990s — which currently form the backbone of the Portuguese surface fleet alongside two Bartolomeu Dias-class frigates acquired second-hand from the Netherlands. The Portuguese Navy has not introduced a new ocean-going combatant since those transfers, and the FREMM EVO acquisition will bring the fleet in line with the high-end escorts operated by its larger NATO partners.

The Portuguese order extends a broader wave of European frigate procurement in 2026. Earlier in July, Germany approved €6.3 billion for four MEKO A-200 anti-submarine frigates, while several other European navies are renewing their escort fleets as alliance planning refocuses on high-intensity naval warfare.

Construction is expected to begin at Fincantieri's Italian yards, with the first ship due for delivery in 2029 and the remaining two following by 2030. Portugal and Italy are also expected to finalize detailed arrangements on industrial participation and crew training as the program moves toward cutting steel.