TRIESTE – Fincantieri is doubling down on Defence and its underwater expansion. The 2026–2030 Industrial Plan foresees a doubling of military production capacity at the group’s Italian shipyards and a decisive strengthening of the underwater business, against a backdrop of rising global demand and with more than €50 billion in new orders expected over the period.
The group projects revenues of around €12.5 billion in 2030, up 40% compared with 2025, with EBITDA at €1.25 billion and a 10% margin. Net profit is expected to reach around €500 million in 2030, while total backlog at the end of 2025 stands at about €60 billion. At the core of the plan is the so-called “capacity boost”, a structural intervention across Italian shipyards to meet rising demand in the Defence segment. Over the next six months the group expects to secure around €5 billion in new military orders, with contracts anticipated from 2026.
The doubling of production capacity will apply to surface vessels for Defence and will reduce FREMM frigate build times to as little as 18 months. Planned measures include the conversion of the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard, which will be dedicated exclusively to military production, the construction of a third launching line at Riva Trigoso, and the use of areas within the La Spezia Naval Arsenal for submarine production. The relocation of part of the civil production to Romania and the strengthening of the industrial footprint in Vietnam will free up capacity in Italy for Defence, with a combined effect on efficiency and margins. Total capex for 2026–2030 amounts to around €1.9 billion, fully self-financed.
In parallel, Fincantieri aims to structurally strengthen the Underwater segment, viewed as strategic for the evolution of naval doctrine and for the protection of critical infrastructure. The plan includes the development of non-conventional solutions, including autonomous systems such as LD-AUVs for the Italian Navy, and agreements with civilian and dual-use players for inspection, maintenance and protection activities on subsea networks and installations.
Underwater growth will also be supported by technology partnerships and by enhanced in-house capabilities, with the aim of accelerating the maturity of autonomous platforms and systems. The segment will also benefit from submarine fleet modernisation programmes in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as from rising global investment in maritime security.
By 2030, the combined revenues of Defence and Underwater will account for around one third of the group’s total, with a business mix delivering higher margins than in the past. EBITDA is expected to rise from around €700 million in 2026 to €1.25 billion in 2030, with a progressive improvement in margins.
«Defence plays a central role in our strategy: the expected increase in demand and the doubling of production capacity at our Italian shipyards will enable us to strengthen our position in the most important national and international programmes», commented Chief Executive Officer Pierroberto Folgiero.
