Portugal to Buy Three FREMM EVO Frigates From Italy for €3.9 Billion
Portugal announced on July 20, 2026 that it will acquire three Fincantieri-built FREMM EVO multi-mission frigates under a €3.9 billion state-to-state agreement with Italy, described as the largest naval modernization program in the Portuguese Navy’s recent history.
Managed through OCCAR, the European joint armaments cooperation organization, the program covers three advanced 144-meter frigates along with long-term sustainment, technology transfer, and infrastructure upgrades at the Arsenal do Alfeite shipyard. The deal will be financed through the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, which has allocated Portugal €5.8 billion in loans for defense investment.
The three new frigates are scheduled for delivery to the Portuguese Navy between 2029 and 2030. FREMM EVO will replace the aging Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias-class frigates, significantly enhancing anti-submarine warfare, air defense, and multi-mission capabilities over a planned 30-year service life. The agreement also opens the way for a production contract between OCCAR and the Fincantieri-Leonardo industrial team.
The purchase fits a broader pattern of European navies accelerating fleet modernization since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is being watched closely as a factor in NATO’s Atlantic and Mediterranean naval balance.
Source: Naval News, Army Recognition, The Defense Post.
