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Navantia has launched the second of five corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, named AL-DIRIYAH. The corvette is 104 meters long, has a breadth of 14 m, and will be able to transport a total of 102 people including crew and passengers. It will reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and has the capacity to carry provisions on board for 21 days.
The Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces highlighted the work of Navantia and the Spanish Navy, “for giving the highest to achieve the training of the first crew in Spain, qualified personnel capable of operating and maintaining these ships”. In this sense, the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy also highlighted the total commitment of the Spanish Navy in this pioneering program, which involves a high-quality training beyond the construction.
The Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabian Military Industries Company (SAMI) expressed his appreciation for the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in making it possible for the corvette Al Diriyah and the other corvettes to be equipped with the first Saudi Combat Management System.
Navantia President, Belén Gualda González highlighted this program as strategic and expressed her commitment towards the successful completion of this program, and in collaborating with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces in future programs.
The design of the corvettes is of the latest generation, maximizing the participation of Navantia by incorporating its own products, such as the CATIZ Combat System, the HERMESYS Integrated Communications System, the DORNA Firing Direction, the Integrated Platform Control System and the MINERVA Integrated Bridge, together with other equipment developed by Navantia under license, such as the MTU Engines or the RENK Reduction Gearboxes.
The contract includes the supply of several services such as: Integrated Logistic Support; Operational and Maintenance Training; Supply of Training and Education Centers for the Combat System and Platform Control System of the ships; systems for the maintenance of the ships in the Jeddah Naval Base; and Life Cycle Support for five years following the delivery of the first vessel, with an option for another five years.
This contract, which came into force in November 2018, strengthens the immediate future of Navantia and benefits all the shipyards of the company and its auxiliary industry, especially the whole Bay of Cadiz. Specifically, it will mean a global workload of around seven million hours which, translated into employment, will reach the figure of 6,000 annually during the next five years.
