Fincantieri press release
The arrival in Qatar of the “Al Zubarah” corvette and the OPV – Offshore Patrol Vessel “Musherib”, built at the integrated military shipyard of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano as part of the naval acquisition program of the Ministry of Defense of Qatar, was celebrated today with a ceremony at the Umm Al Houl base, at the presence of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
For the occasion, the company was represented by Chairman Claudio Graziano and Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero. A delegation from the client country led by Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs and Staff Major General Abdulla Bin Hassan Al Sulaiti, Commander of the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces, also attended. The vessels will soon enter service for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Then were also inaugurated the offices of Fincantieri Services Doha, which will follow the Group’s activities in the area.
Naval News comments on Al Zubarah corvettes
With a full load displacement of circa 3,250 tonnes, a length and beam of respectively 107 and 14.7 meters, the new Al Zubarah-class corvettes feature a CODAD configured propulsion system based on four diesel engines connected through reduction gears to two shaft lines with variable pitch propellers and conventional rudders providing a maximum continuous and cruising speed of respectively 28 and 15 knots.
With such compact dimensions and displacement, and a crew core of 98 members plus accommodation for additional 14 units, the new platform present a sophisticated and robust combat system with a full range of weapons for anti-air warfare (AAW, with Aster 30 Block 1 and RAM missiles) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) operations while the platform anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities are limited to self-defense, although the ship can accommodate and operate a NH90 NFH maritime helicopter which can be equipped with an ASW suite including lightweight torpedoes.
To learn more details about the Al Zubarah-class corvettes, check out:
