(Reuters) - A joint venture of shipbuilder Fincantieri and defence firm Leonardo won a contract worth about 1.5 billion euros ($1.62 billion) to build two frigates for the Italian Navy, they said on Wednesday.

The joint venture was awarded the contract for two "FREMM EVO" multipurpose frigates by OCCAR, the European arms procurement agency representing France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Joint venture Orizzonte Sistemi Navali is 51% owned by Fincantieri and 49% by Leonardo.

The ships will be equipped with anti-drone capabilities including above surface, naval, and below surface threats, the companies said in a statement.

($1 = 0.9237 euros)

(Reporting by Alessandro Parodi; editing by Jason Neely)