Why a joint European warship project split into two distinct naval paths

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Horizon-class programme began as a grand three-nation collaboration to build a new generation of air-defence warships. Yet, fundamental disagreements over radar capabilities, industrial control, and strategic needs caused the United Kingdom to abandon the project in 1999, leaving France and Italy to finish the ships alone.

The Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF) programme was born in 1992 following the collapse of the NFR-90 project. France, Italy, and the UK initially aimed to replace their aging fleets with a shared design. However, the nations held conflicting visions for the vessels. France and Italy required ships for close-range protection of aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, while the Royal Navy demanded a platform capable of projecting a wide-area defensive bubble over a fleet in hostile waters, a requirement shaped by lessons from the Falklands War.

These operational gaps led to a technical compromise: a shared radar interface. This allowed France and Italy to utilize the EMPAR multi-function radar, while the UK opted for the more powerful SAMPSON active electronically scanned array radar. Despite this, industrial friction persisted. The UK sought to appoint Marconi as the prime contractor, but France insisted on DCN leading the combat management system. By April 1999, with the project five years behind schedule, the UK withdrew to develop its own Type 45 destroyer, which ultimately incorporated the PAAMS missile system developed during the collaboration.

France and Italy proceeded with the Horizon project, signing a production contract in September 2000 for four ships. The Italian Navy commissioned the Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio, while the French Navy deployed the Forbin and Chevalier Paul. The project cost France approximately €2.16 billion at 2009 prices. In July 2023, these four vessels entered a mid-life upgrade phase, focusing on system modernization and obsolescence resolution. Integration of these new systems is expected to conclude by the end of 2030, ensuring the continued relevance of these air-defence destroyers.

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