Lisboa, Sept. 22, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's defence minister, Nuno Melo, said Tuesday that the national defence industry's involvement in acquiring new frigates from Italy accounts for 8.3% of the estimated total value of €325 million.
«I also have further figures I can provide regarding the involvement of Portuguese defence industries: 8.3% national involvement in the ‘workshare', €325 million,» Nuno Melo said during a parliamentary hearing on the deal to acquire three new-generation Italian frigates, purchased by Portugal under European loans from the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) Facility.
Nuno Melo, who noted that this represented «a major boost for the national economy», listed some of the Portuguese companies set to be involved in this process, such as Critical Software, which will be responsible for developing «combat systems and operational software», simulators by ETI, drones by Tekever and «integrated communications systems» by EID.
The minister also detailed the total cost of the frigates (€3.9 billion): each vessel costs €893 million, with €63 million in modifications, totalling €960 million per frigate.
Added to this figure is €461 million for the frigates' life-cycle support; The budget includes €310 million for armaments (such as missiles and ammunition); €130 million will go towards «upgrading the naval base»; €95 million for «capacity building for the Navy and the Arsenal, and staff training»; and €38 million will be invested in simulation and training.
In total, the procurement amounts to just over €3.9 billion, he explained.
The minister also listed the five modifications to be made to the frigates, which account for the additional €60 million or so and the price difference compared with the frigates the Italian Navy acquired. The Portuguese vessels will feature capabilities for detecting and destroying drones, capabilities for destroying ballistic missiles, and will be 100% electric, meaning «completely silent ships», as well as state-of-the-art sensors and air defence missiles.
Nuno Melo emphasised that the price of the frigates «is fixed», while the Italian ones, according to the minister, may see their unit price rise.
On next steps, Melo said the «loan agreement is going through the legislative process», and he expects the Assembly to approve it later this month, with the operational agreement following in October.
During the hearing, Nuno Melo made an unusual request for Rear Admiral António Mateus, Deputy Director-General for Armaments and Defence Assets, to speak, arguing that a technical and military decision was at stake.
According to the rear admiral, frigates from five countries were under consideration: Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The French and Italian options were the finalists in a selection process that ultimately favoured Fincantieri, as it met the criteria the Navy deemed necessary.
The rear admiral highlighted the advantages of this partnership with Italy, including the revitalisation of the Alfeite Arsenal «with a view to the integrated and comprehensive support of the Portuguese Navy's fleet, including its submarines», and added that the process is currently in the negotiation phase and involves «pre-contractual work».
The start of the hearing featured a spirited exchange of views between the defence minister, the PSD and the CDS-PP on the one hand, and Chega on the other, with Nuno Melo accusing André Ventura and Pedro Frazão of engaging in «miserable defamation» and of bringing «the mud» into the political debate. Nuno Simões de Melo, of Chega, accused the minister of having an «aversion to scrutiny».
Nuno Melo reiterated that SAFE is a procurement process based on relations between states, without «intermediary companies» – following reports of an alleged last-minute withdrawal by the Portuguese firm NTG, which was to act as an intermediary in the operation, causing the company to lose €90 million in commissions, a claim since denied by the Ministry and by the company itself ARL/ADB // ADB.
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