Fincantieri press release
The ceremony was attended by, among others, by Staff Major General (Sea) Abdullah Hassan Al-Sulaiti, Commander of Qatar Emiri Naval Forces, H.E. Khalid bin Yousef Al-Sada, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Italy, Major General Hassan Rashid Al Ali, Head of Qatar Armed Forces Projects, Staff Major General Hilal Al Muhannadi, Defense Attaché of the State of Qatar in Rome, Vice Admiral Salvatore Vitiello, Commanding Officer of Italian Navy Logistic Command and Naval Equipment Inspector, and Dario Deste, General Manager Naval Vessels Division of Fincantieri.
The Al Zubarah-class corvettes, designed consistent with the RINAMIL rules, will be highly flexible and capable of fulfilling different kinds of tasks, from surveillance with sea rescue capacities to being fighting vessels. They will be about 107 meters long, 14.70 meters wide, and equipped with a combined diesel and diesel plant (CODAD), with a maximum speed of 28 knots. The units will be able to accommodate 112 persons on board.
Furthermore, the corvettes will be capable of operating high-speed boats such as RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern. The flight deck and hangar are sized for hosting one NH90 helicopter.
-End-
Naval News comments on Qatar’s new corvettes
Fincantieri picture
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: