Thaon di Revel-class (PPA)

The Thaon di Revel class, known in Italy as Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura (PPA), is the backbone of the Italian Navy's surface fleet renewal. Built by Fincantieri at Muggiano and Riva Trigoso under the same naval law that funded the FREMM program, the class blends the roles of offshore patrol vessel and frigate in a 143-meter, 6,270-ton hull with a distinctive inverted bow. Seven ships were completed out of nine planned, with the lead ship Paolo Thaon di Revel entering service in 2022.

The class exists in three configurations of increasing capability. All share the Leonardo SADOC Mk4 combat system, a dual-band AESA radar, a 127 mm main gun with Vulcano guided ammunition and a 76 mm Strales gun. The "Light" version is fitted for but not with missile systems; "Light+" adds two 8-cell Sylver A50 launchers for Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles; the "Full" version completes the fit with Teseo Mk2/E anti-ship missiles, towed sonar and a full electronic warfare suite, making it a de facto first-rate frigate. A CODAG plant with gas turbine boost drives the ships to over 31 knots, among the fastest combatants of their size.

The design has also scored export success: two hulls originally built for Italy, Marcantonio Colonna and Ruggiero di Lauria, were sold to Indonesia in 2024 and delivered from 2025, and Italy ordered replacement units in the enhanced "Full" configuration. The class operates alongside the FREMM frigates, escorting the carrier Cavour and covering Mediterranean patrol and air-defence missions.