ADSB builds last Navy corvette
A major shipyard in Abu Dhabi has started production of the last of six advanced corvettes for the UAE Navy and all of them are expected to be commissioned within the next three years, a defence newsletter said yesterday.
The Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB), one of the largest shipyards in the region, is building the vessel which will be sent to France for outfitting under a contract with Constructions Mecaniques De Normandie (CMN).
"Production work has now begun on the last of six Baynunah Corvettes being built for the UAE Navy by Abu Dhabi Ship Building in the region's largest-ever naval construction programme," Idex 2009 newsletter said.
It said commander of the UAE Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Ahmed Al Sabah Al Tenaiji, has activated a computerised plasma cutting machine at ADSB's Musaffah complex to begin cutting the steel for the sixth vessel.
The Baynunah Class vessels are highly sophisticated multi-mission Corvettes, equipped with cutting-edge combat systems and have the capability to perform a wide range of military operations, including defence against both air and surface threats. The 72-metre-long vessel has been designed by CMN under a subcontract awarded by ADSB which won the $750-million (Dh2.75 billion) deal in 2004
The first-class vessel is being outfitted at CMN's Cherbourg Yard and the remaining five are under construction at ADSB.
"The Baynunah programme is an international project involving many equipment suppliers. It is both an ambitious and challenging programme that has stretched and grown the capabilities of all of the parties involved," ADSB Chief Executive William Saltzer said. "Now all six vessels are under construction at the same time and the vast amount of concurrent work requires the continuous close co-operation of the shipyards in Abu Dhabi and Cherbourg, the equipment suppliers, and the UAE Navy Programme Management Teams both here and in France. It is the first time a naval ship building project of this magnitude has been undertaken in this region."
ADSB is the only specialist naval shipbuilder in the Gulf and constructs vessels in steel, aluminum and composite materials. Other recent new building contracts have included 64 metres and 42 metres Steel Naval Landing Craft, 34 metres Composite Patrol Craft, 16 metres SeaKeeper Composite Fast Landing Craft and Aluminum Fast Troop Transport Boats and Fast Supply Vessels. According to defence experts, the main roles of the corvettes will be in patrol and surveillance, mine-laying, interception and other anti-surface warfare operations. The corvettes are named after Baynunah region in Abu Dhabi.