The Italian Navy has conducted a live-fire test of an MBDA-made Aster 30 missile from the Raimondo Montecuccoli (P432) multi-purpose offshore patrol vessel (OPV).
Delivered to the navy in 2023, the Thaon di Revel-class P432 is configured as “Light+” under the Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) program, filling an intermediate role between the “Light” (patrol) and “Full” (combat) variants.
Test-firing the surface-to-air missile aboard the Light+ OPV is part of validating its capability to engage aerial threats, as the vessel is fitted with the SAAM-ESD (Surface Anti-Air Missile – Extended Self Defence) system.
In February 2025, the Giovanni delle Bande Nere (P434), a Thaon di Revel-class vessel in Full configuration, test-fired an Aster 30 missile as part of the SAAM-ESD qualification process, as per Naval News.
SAAM-ESD
The SAAM-ESD is an advanced naval air defense system integrated on the Italian Navy’s PPA vessels and FREMM (European Multi-Mission Frigate) platforms.
It is designed for point and local area defense, using Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles to counter aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and other aerial threats, including uncrewed systems.
The air defense system integrates with Leonardo’s Kronos active electronically scanned array radars, as well as Naval Group’s Sylver A50 vertical launchers.
PPA Program
Fincantieri built the Thaon di Revel-class, also known as the PPA, for the Italian Navy.
While some specifications differ per configuration, the PPA vessels generally have an overall length of 143 meters (469 feet).
The Light+ P432 OPV has a full displacement of 5,880 tonnes, and can achieve a maximum speed of around 27 knots (50 kilometers/31 miles per hour) and a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 kilometers/5,753 miles).
