From torpedo launchers to cannons: what the frigate Martinengo, flagship unit of the EU operation Atalanta, looks like

After the handover with the destroyer "Caio Duilio", which will be at the forefront of the European mission "Aspides" in the Red Sea - the go-ahead for the operation from the EU Foreign Affairs Council is expected on 19 February - the frigate "Martinengo" is now about to take over the task of flagship unit of "Atalanta", the European Union's anti-piracy mission already operational in an area between the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and part of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles Islands. The new deployment will start on Sunday 11 February.

The Ministry of Defence website provides some information on the vessel. 144 metres long and over 19 metres wide, 27 knots of speed and a range of 6000 miles at 15 knots, 168 crew members, the Federico Martinengo (F596) is the seventh Italian FREMM Unit and the third in GP, 'General Purpose' configuration. Built at Fincantieri's Riva Trigoso shipyard, it was launched in February 2017 and subsequently transported to the Muggiano (La Spezia) shipyard for the completion of outfitting and trials. In terms of weapons, it features: 16-cell SAAM ESD for ASTER 15 and ASTER 30 missiles - TESEO Mk2A - 127/64 LW gun (VULCANO and traditional ammunition) - ILDS - 2 25/80 machine guns - 2 B515 torpedo launchers for MU90 torpedo - 2 NH90 helicopters or 1 SH90 or 1 EH101.

The international cooperation programme Italian-French FREMM  envisages, for Italy, the acquisition of 10 multi-mission frigates (6 of the 'General Purpose' type characterised by high flexibility in operational employment and 4 of the anti-submarine type - characterised by greater capabilities in this particular form of operational employment). Both versions have anti-aircraft and anti-ship defence capability, and can employ SH90/EH101 helicopters. The ASW version has a towable sonar and torpedo tubes.

Visible against the blue background of the hull are the unit's motto, 'Sufficit Animus ' and the optical badge F 596. A half-bust of Admiral Luigi Rizzo stands out from the background. The crest is surmounted by the turreted and rostral crown, symbol of the Navy. The origins of the motto Sufficit Animus date back to the philosopher Seneca who, in his treatise 'The Benefits', Lib. II, Ch. 31, wrote: 'When we turn everything to our animus, everything is possible; and even when I am not permitted to make use of piety, faith, justice and every virtue in itself perfect, man can be grateful to the will. Whenever he sets himself a goal and achieves it, he reaps the fruit of his labour. He who does a favour, what does he propose? To give to another is itself pleasure'. In the military sphere it was the motto of the First Air Squadron whose coat of arms was depicted by a ship's spur supported by the wings of an eagle. It was also D'Annunziano's motto, when the poet did not give up flying even after the accident in January 1916, where, following an abrupt ditching in the waters of Grado, he violently crashed into the aircraft's machine gun, as a result of which he lost the sight in his right eye.