Developed entirely by Italian industry, the Lithium Battery System (LBS) will be manufactured in Italy at one of Europe’s largest giga factories, purpose-built for this strategic capability. This progress reinforces Italy’s leadership in defence technology and its commitment to energy innovation within Europe’s industrial base.
The CDR confirmed that the battery system meets all design and mission requirements, allowing the programme to move forward with manufacturing, system integration and qualification. The Near Future Submarine will be the first Western submarine designed specifically to operate with a lithium battery system, representing a significant advance in submarine propulsion technology.
Safety has been a central focus of the LBS development, with the system based on the safest and most reliable lithium chemistry. The CDR followed extensive testing and certification to ensure full compliance with the stringent safety standards required for submerged operations.
The review findings were formally endorsed by representatives from the Naval Armament Directorate, the Italian Navy General Staff, Fincantieri and OCCAR. Their joint assessment confirmed “full alignment among all stakeholders and paved the way for the subsequent steps in this strategic defence cooperation programme.”
OCCAR highlighted its coordinating role in aligning institutional, industrial and governmental actors under the NFS Programme. It reaffirmed its mission to support European defence cooperation through “transparent and efficient programme management” and long-term capability development.
The milestone also reflects the technical expertise of Fincantieri, the Italian shipyard and submarine builder, whose role is seen as crucial in delivering this advanced propulsion capability. OCCAR praised the firm’s contribution as vital to the Italian Navy and to Europe’s broader maritime defence framework.
