The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its fourth FREMM frigate, the Carabiniere, from shipbuilder Orizzonte Sistemi Navali.

The ship is about 472.5 feet long and has a maximum speed of 27 knots. Its weapons systems are in an anti-submarine warfare configuration.

FREMM, or Multi Mission European Frigate, is the product of an Italian-French program which is coordinated by the European Union's Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation.

Italy has ordered 10 such ships from Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture company of Fincantieri and Finmeccanica, which is the prime contractor for the Italian variant of the ship.

"These units significantly contribute to the tasks assigned to the Italian Navy, being able to operate in various sectors: anti-aircraft, anti-submarine and anti-naval warfare, fire support from the sea as well as an organic helicopter component embarked," Fincantieri said. "The FREMM units are set to become the backbone of the Italian Navy of the next decades."