At the Forte de São Julião da Barra, alongside Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto, Nuno Melo told journalists that “at the moment, no decision” has been made regarding the acquisition of two or three frigates, a deal that could range between two to three billion euros and is contested between the Italian Fincantieri and the French Naval Group.
“What we are doing today is a strategic partnership in different domains – land, sea, air, and space – which will be leveraged by the capability of industries from both countries to cooperate with a strategic vision. We have not discussed any specific equipment,” assured the Defence Minister.
Regarding the French and Italian bids to sell two or three frigates, Nuno Melo emphasized that the decision for Portugal is “fundamentally technical.”
“The three branches of the Armed Forces and the Directorate-General for Defence Resources are evaluating and advising the tutelage on what best serves, also considering our obligations in the current geopolitical context. There is a vision, there is a purpose, but it is a path that must be taken calmly,” he stated.
Nuno Melo highlighted the significant sums involved for the Portuguese State, mentioning that they are “investments for a generation.”
“We have to ensure they are very rational and within our means,” he added.
Regarding the decision timeline for acquiring new frigates, Nuno Melo noted that the Government is committed to the SAFE process (Security Action for Europe Instrument), which “will be relevant for the modernization of the Portuguese Armed Forces.”
The Government must present its plan in Brussels by the end of the month to secure six billion euros in loans from the European SAFE program, which Portugal must execute by 2030.
“The process, until the end of February, will be considered by the European Commission. Truthfully, I would say that what relates to the SAFE emerges at the end of November, and there is a long path until February. At the moment, in November, we are not deciding what we will implement. Moreover, what is deliberated may well have a forecast in November and may not be implemented in February,” he admitted.
In this context, when commenting on the decision timeline, the Defence Minister referenced the Italian bid for the sale of frigates to Portugal.
“Portugal has a purpose, a path, a strategic vision, and, of course, Italy is a great industrial power, alongside other countries with which Portugal also interacts. What we are doing here today is much better than that, as we are initiating a strategic vision that helps leverage Defence industries with opportunities for both countries, Portugal and Italy,” he argued.
Alongside the bilateral meeting between the two ministers, representatives from the Defence industries of Portugal and Italy were also gathered at the Forte de São Julião da Barra.
The Italian delegation reportedly brought eight companies to Lisbon seeking partnerships, three of which are from the Fincantieri group, including Leonardo.
The Navy currently has five frigates: Vasco da Gama, Álvares Cabral, Corte-Real, Bartolomeu Dias, and D. Francisco de Almeida.
On November 5, during a hearing in the Assembleia da República, Defence Minister Nuno Melo stated that acquiring frigates is “increasingly a strong necessity, given NATO’s capacity targets.”
