On October 25, 2026, Navantia launched the seventh corvette built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces at its shipyards in the Bay of Cádiz. The ship, to be named Neom, is the second in the batch contracted in 2025, following the five units built between 2019 and 2024.
Navantia press release
The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Staff of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghuraybi, and Navantia’s Chairman, Ricardo Domínguez, with the attendance of Her Highness Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al Muqrin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Kingdom of Spain. Following the opening of the event, verses from the Quran were recited, after which the speeches commenced.
Vice Admiral Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghuraybi highlighted that the ship will carry a name that is one of the flagship projects of Saudi Vision 2030 and reflects the ambition of an entire Kingdom. “NEOM combines “NEO,” meaning “new,” with the letter “M,” representing His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may Allah protect him”. “From the shores of Spain to the shores of Saudi Arabia, HMS NEOM will stand as a lasting symbol of what our two Kingdoms can build together”, he said, in a speech in which he also commended his appreciation of Navantia’s team and Chairman.
“From today, a new chapter begins: the integration of her systems, testing, sea trials, training, and the road toward full operational readiness. And one day, HMS NEOM will leave these shores and set her course toward the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She will carry Saudi ambition and Spanish craftsmanship, the trust built through years of working side by side”, he stated.
Navantia’s Chairman, Ricardo Domínguez, highlighted the professionalism of the workforce and partner companies in delivering a programme with demanding requirements and deadlines. “Launching one ship every four months is in line with the industrial schedule established for the programme and reflects the commitment of Navantia’s workforce to the customer. Your dedication, experience and professional excellence allow us to say with confidence that Navantia is rigorously fulfilling the commitments it has undertaken. This ship, which will soon enter service with our customer, is yet another demonstration of this shipyard’s capabilities.”
He also thanked the Royal Saudi Naval Forces for the trust they have placed in Navantia, describing it as “the greatest recognition of our efforts and excellence.”
Alberto Cervantes, director of Naval Shipbuilding in the Bay of Cadiz, also expressed his “gratitude to all our families, because their sacrifice, understanding and affection are also part of every ship we deliver and every success we achieve”.
The second batch of three corvettes is being built at the San Fernando and Puerto Real facilities, with delivery of the final ship scheduled for 2029. Navantia will deliver the first ship in Spain and will send the second and third ships to Saudi Arabia for the installation, integration and testing of the combat system, as was the case with the fourth and fifth ships under the previous contract.
The Implementing Agreement between Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the Spanish Navy includes the provision of an integrated logistics support package and crew training, together with a period of operational evaluation of the ships by the Navy at Rota Naval Base, where Navantia will provide support services.
This contract represents a substantial workload for the Bay of Cádiz, estimated at approximately four million working hours and requiring an average of 2,200 skilled jobs per day. In addition, as under the previous contract, more than 20 subcontractors and 50 suppliers from several countries will be involved.
Avante 2200 design
This second batch of three corvettes for Saudi Arabia will be identical to the first batch. Their design is based on NAVANTIA’s AVANTE 2200 model, a versatile ship specifically designed for maritime traffic surveillance and control, search and rescue operations, and assistance to other ships, among other missions. The ships will also offer significant capabilities for the protection of strategic assets, as well as intelligence, anti-submarine, anti-air, anti-surface and electronic warfare capabilities.
The corvettes feature a state-of-the-art design that maximises Navantia’s contribution by incorporating proprietary products, including the HAZEM combat system through the SAMINavantia joint venture, the HERMESYS integrated communications system, the DORNA fire-control system, the Integrated Platform Management System, the MINERVA integrated bridge, propulsion engines manufactured under licence from MTU, diesel generator sets, and gearboxes manufactured under licence from Schelde. Lastly, Navantia’s Repairs business unit will also take part in the programme by carrying out work during the corvettes’ dry-docking periods in San Fernando.
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