Malta takes delivery of new flagship
Malta's new flagship pictured at a ceremony in Valetta. (Photo: Cantiere Navale Vittoria)
At a ceremony in Valetta, Italy’s Cantiere Navale Vittoria delivered the new flagship of the Maltese armed forces.
The 75m OPV will be used for coastal and high seas surveillance and search and rescue operations in the central Mediterranean.
The ship is the largest patrol vessel ever built by the Venetian shipbuilder.
Construction of the OPV, worth over €50 million, was co-funded by Malta and the EU under the 2014-2020 Internal Security Fund (ISF).
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The OPV P71 has a full load displacement of over 2,000t and can accommodate a crew of around 50.
The ship has an aft flight deck capable of supporting helicopters such as the AW139 used by Malta.
The P71 is armed with a 25mm remote weapon station and light machine guns of differing calibres.
The C2 system includes a 2D surveillance radar, navigation radar and satellite communications system.
The ship arrived in Valetta in November last year, before the recent delivery and commissioning into service.
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