Navantia hands over first Al Jubail-class corvette to Saudi navy

Spain-based shipbuilder Navantia announced on 31 March that it has officially handed over the first of five Avante 2200 corvettes to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), in a ceremony in Cadiz.

The first-in-class vessel, named Al Jubail, was handed over some 38 months after first steel was cut in January 2019. Al Jubail will be commissioned into the RSNF in March 2023.

The initial contract for five Al Jubail-class corvettes was signed in 2018 for €1.8 billion ($2 billion).

Navantia on 4 December announced the launch of the fifth and final Avante 2200 corvette, Unayzah.

Work on the corvette will continue in Spain before its scheduled completion in Saudi Arabia after August 2023.

Unayzah will be delivered to the RSNF in February 2024.

The fourth and five corvettes will be finalised and delivered in Saudi Arabia, with the SAMINavantia JV completing installation, integration, and test of the complete Hazem combat system.

Other SAMINavantia-provided features on the Al Jubail-class include the Hermesys integrated communications system, Dorna fire control system, an Integrated Platform Control System and the Minerva integrated bridge, together with other equipment developed by Navantia under licence, such as MTU engines and Renk gearboxes.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Avante 2200 (1-5) [Saudi Arabia]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Avante 2200 (Combatant)