On 3 October, construction works on the multirole ship DOM JOÃO II, destined for the Portuguese Navy, began.

The first steel cutting ceremony took place at the Damen shipyard of Galati, Romania, where the Multi-Purpose Ship will be completed by autumn 2026. The vessel is almost 108 m long, 20 m wide, with a displacement of more than 7,000 t, slightly variable depending on the mission.

In fact, the DON JOÃO II is the result of a 132 million euro project largely financed by the Portugal's EU recovery and resilience plan and can perform a multiplicity of tasks. In the first instance, it is a drone and helicopter carrier with aeromaritime surveillance duties, thanks to its full-deck configuration.

The ship is equipped with a continuous 94-m-long deck and features a surface area of approximately 650 square metres. Its peculiar configuration also includes a catapult for drones weighing up to 600 kg, similar to the one used for the SCAN EAGLE, and a take-off spot for medium-heavy AW-101 type helicopters; lastly, on the starboard side, a double hangar superstructure can host several UAVs.

The ship will also be able to accommodate and operate RHIBs and surface and underwater drones, thanks to an aft ramp and a side station, and will be able to deploy amphibious capabilities, through the potential transport of 18 rotary vehicles in a hangar under the flight deck. Alternatively, the hangar can accommodate up to 10 RHIBs, in addition to the 4 normally embarked outside. Lastly, the ship, equipped with a 30 tonne capacity manoeuvring crane, can be reconfigured to operate in emergency scenarios, including medical, by embarking in place of RHIBs and vehicles up to 12 ISO20 containers, and a NATO Role-2 type hospital.

The standard complement is 48 but there is room for hosting up to 300 people in case of need, including soldiers and/or special forces teams, or, in the scientific and oceanographic research vessel configuration, 42 scientists and operators, with a modular laboratory and experimental areas. The engine is a diesel-electric hybrid, and will guarantee 15 knots of speed and a good autonomy.

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