Subsidies for EPCs - as an export model?

The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) project is now entering its second development phase - bringing Europe closer to the construction phase of the first two prototypes for the LRM (long-range multipurpose) and FCM (full combat multipurpose) variants. At Euronaval in Paris, the shipbuilding consortium consisting of the Naviris cooperation company (Fincantieri/Italy, Naval Group/France) and Spanish Navantia signed an initial agreement on the start of phase 2 of the joint modular multi-purpose patrol corvette (MMPC) project. Following the selection by the European Commission in May 2024 of the design submitted by Naviris at the end of 2023, the second phase of the MMPC project aims to finalise the concept and development of the platform and integrate innovative technology blocks to cover a wide range of tasks and missions for both variants by incorporating different systems and payloads. Phase 1 was subsidised with 60 million euros by the EU, while Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Norway and Spain shared the remaining 27 million. An agreement on the financing of phase 2 is currently still being negotiated between OCCAR-EA and the Commission. In order to receive the additional Brussels grant of almost 155 million euros, the above-mentioned countries have yet to pledge a financial contribution. Somehow it is hard to shake the feeling that we have heard all these or similar passages several times over the decades in EU and NATO projects for frigates, helicopters, fighter jets and armoured land systems, without anything cost-effective, versatile and "truly common" having emerged from them. It's about time it worked! Even if it's just an inflated corvette (110 metres, 3,000 tonnes) developed at the Community's expense for Fincantieri and Naval Group, which can be used for everything, but nothing really. That's how you make an export model!