The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) project has secured further funding through the European Commission’s European Defence Fund (EDF) for 2023.
The EPC2 project will receive up to 154.5 million euro ($167.9 million) from the EU. This funding, under the EDF’s call for ‘Development actions focused on naval combat,’ will support a 48-month initiative encompassing studies, design, system prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification.
Building on initial funding from the EDF 2021 call for a Modular and Multirole Patrol Corvette (MMPC), announced in July 2022, the EPC2 project aims to advance the EPC to a certified design stage.
It will produce two platform prototypes, each representing a version of the EPC, to be tested at both harbor and land-based facilities to mitigate risks and validate systems and technology.
According to the European Defence Agency’s 2023 annual report, the first prototype is anticipated in 2027.
The EPC2 consortium includes Naviris -a joint venture between Naval Group and Fincantieri – as the coordinator, along with Fincantieri (Italy), Naval Group (France), Navantia (Spain), and Hydrus Anotati Synektiki Michaniki Etaireia Symvoulon Anonymi Etaireia (Greece).
This award follows a contract signed in October 2023 between the Naviris-led consortium and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) for the first phase of the EPC program.
In November 2023, the consortium submitted its EPC2 bid for the next development phase under EDF 2023.