Work will begin in two years’ time on a trio of ships to support Royal Navy carrier and amphibious task groups around the globe after a £1.6bn contract was signed with a British-led consortium.
Fleet Solid Support ship
The order for the Fleet Solid Support ships will deliver three ships to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) by 2032, providing ammunition, spare parts, replacement jet engines, food and provisions to sustain large-scale naval operations hundreds or thousands of miles from the UK.
The role is currently performed by a solitary ship, RFA Fort Victoria (A387), which accompanied HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and her carrier strike group on her maiden deployment in 2021.
She’s over 30 years old and despite receiving a major overhaul once again, ultimately needs replacing – and needs sisters to spread the workload.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Beyond a reinvigoration of the RFA, the as-yet unnamed ships/class remark a major investment in UK shipbuilding, with millions pumped into improving facilities at two yards and the creation of 1,200 jobs, three quarters of them in Belfast, plus an anticipated 800 further jobs across the UK supply chain.
As part of the contract signed with Team Resolute – comprising BMT, Harland and Wolff and Navantia UK – £77 million will be invested in infrastructure at the former’s Belfast and Appledore shipyards, and a further £21 million in skills and technology transfer from Navantia.
The deal also brings naval shipbuilding back to Belfast after a break of nearly a quarter of a century.
RFA to get three new replacements for Fort Victoria as £1.6bn deal signed
Visiting the Harland and Wolff yard to announce the contract’s signing, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: «This contract is a significant boost to the UK’s historic shipbuilding industry, balancing shipbuilding across the Union. Creating jobs and prosperity, Team Resolute is bringing shipbuilding back to Belfast, developing a modern, resilient and thriving shipbuilding industry that will support naval and commercial shipbuilding into the future».
Built to a design by Bath-based BMT, with many common systems, equipment and features as the Tide-class tankers already in service, at 216 metres/709 feet, the new support ships will be second only to the UK’s two aircraft carriers in length.
The majority of the blocks and modules for the ships will be constructed at Harland and Wolff’s facilities in Belfast and Appledore, some construction work will take place at Navantia’s Cadiz yard, with the three vessels assembled in Belfast.
RFA Fort Victoria (A387)
Harland and Wolff chief executive John Wood praised the government’s investment and faith in his firm, hailing it as the «last chance to capture the excellent shipbuilding skills that remain in Belfast and Appledore before they are lost and pass them on to the next generation of UK shipbuilders. The UK Government has seized this opportunity and in doing so ensured the long-term survival of our shipyards and significantly bolstered sovereign shipbuilding capability».
Work to revamp the two yards and training/upskilling workers will begin immediately. Production is due to start in 2025, with all three support ships expected to be operational by 2032.
Navantia delivered the second of the five corvettes built for the Royal Saudi Navy Forces (RSNF) in its shipyards at the Bay of Cadiz, the construction 547, named HMS Al-Diriyah (830), in a ceremony held at its San Fernando facilities.
Navantia delivers corvette HMS Al-Diriyah (830) to Royal Saudi Naval Forces
Hosted by Navantia’s Chairman and CEO, Ricardo Dominguez, the ceremony was attended by the commander of RSNF, Vice Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily; SAMI CEO, Mr. Walid Abukhaled; Spanish Secretary of State for Defense, Ms. María Amparo Valcarce; Spanish Navy Procurement Director, Admiral Aniceto Rosique and other local authorities.
HMS Al-Diriyah (830) has been delivered to the Royal Saudi Navy three years after its first cut of steel (May 2019), meeting demanding deadlines despite the health pandemic and global supply stress. The corvette is one of the most competitive and capable vessels in its segment, as it has been confirmed in the sea trials undergone in the Bay of Cadiz.
The commissioning ceremony took place in accordance with military protocol. An inspection commission (made up by members of RSNF and Navantia) has boarded the corvette to carry out the mandatory review. At the end, the ship’s flag was raised, after which the Saudi Navy transferred command of the corvette to the commander of HMS Al-Diriyah (830). Navantia Chairman has given Vice Admiral Al-Ghofaily the ship’s bell as a ceremonial gift.
In the event, Vice Admiral Al-Ghofaily highlighted that «Alsarawat and many other RSNF ambitious acquisition programs are a clear commitment of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces toward fulfilling the strategic goals of the kingdom vision 2030 by creating a new era of sophisticated and efficient Naval capabilities to face the challenges of today and tomorrow while increasing the strength of National domestic military industry».
He emphasized that he commissioning marks the final and major milestone of her manufacturing life, that lasted for 38 months during which best technologies were devoted to her construction and integration with the leading-edge combat systems. Since last January, the ship has gone through intensive sea trials to become, today, ready and fully capable to perform her assigned missions protecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and defending its interests. He added that such significant achievement «is a clear indication of Navantia’s capabilities and its determination to attain remarkable success in Alsarawat project».
His excellency Vice Admiral Al-Ghofaily expressed his «sincere gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Salman bin Abdulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman, Deputy Minister of Defense, God bless them all, for the endless support that they always give to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces».
Spanish Secretary of State for Defense stated that «this ship is an excellent example of the quality of the Spanish shipyards, of the industrial and commercial cooperation between our countries, which has guaranteed the economic activity of more than a hundred companies and 6,000 jobs in the Bay of Cadiz. To the corvette HMS Al-Diriyah (830), to her officers and crew peace, fair sea and winds».
Mr. Ricardo Dominguez expressed gratefulness for «the contribution and collaboration of everyone involved in the great task carried out by the shipyard delivering state-of-the-art products and services and thus showing the world the capabilities» of the company.
«Arabia has relied on Navantia to provide a decisive capacity to achieve the country’s strategic objectives in the maritime field, and Navantia is willing to contribute further to enrich and support any initiative to create a local capability for naval shipbuilding, as a trustful and reliable partner», he said.
The director of Navantia’s corvettes programme, José Antonio Rodríguez Poch, has also thanked the workforce, the auxiliary and support industry, the Navy and the classification societies for their contribution to the success of the programme.
The CEO of SAMI has stated that «this is a moment of both achievement and pride for the Saudi Defense industry as the Royal Saudi Naval Forces fleet officially commissions HMS Al-Diriyah (830)».
«This could not have been possible without the support and guidance we continue to receive from the wise leadership of our beloved country. I would also like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces for their trust in us. Our cooperation with Navantia resulted in the establishment of our joint venture, SAMINavantia, which developed the first Saudi naval Combat Management System – HAZEM, thus contributing to the localization of the defense sector through the transfer of technology and nurturing our exceptional Saudi talents. We will continue to leverage the unique strengths of our partnerships with leading global OEMs to support the development of a self-sufficient national defense ecosystem and pave the way for projects of similar scope and scale to be established entirely within the Kingdom», stated Mr. Abukhaled.
THE AVANTE 2200 PROGRAMME
The HMS Al-Diriyah (830) corvette has a length of 104 meters/341 feet, a beam of 14 meters/46 feet and seating for a total of 102 people between crew and passengers. The contract for the construction of five corvettes entered into force in November 2018 and, since the launch of the first unit (July 2020), Navantia launched the five units with a period of four months between each one of them, which meant achieving this milestone in a record time of three years.
The corvettes are based on the AVANTE 2200 design, adapted to the requirements of the RSNF, offering advanced performance, excellent work at sea, high survivability, and ability to operate in extreme temperatures.
Simultaneously, around 500 crew members of these corvettes are completing the education and training process at the Navantia Training Centre (NTC) in San Fernando.
In addition to the corvette contract, Navantia agreed with Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) to create a joint venture in Saudi Arabia, an alliance that allows Navantia to position its integrated systems and technologically advanced solutions in the Arab market and area of influence and is aligned with the company’s internationalization strategy.
The contract assumes a global workload of around seven million hours and 6,000 jobs over five years. Of these, more than 1,100 are direct employees, more than 1,800 collaborating industry employees (more than a hundred companies participate at the programme) and more than 3,000 indirect employees generated by other suppliers.
The program includes, in addition to construction, the Life Cycle Support for five years from the delivery of the first ship, with an option for another five additional years, the last ship of which must be delivered in 2024.
It also includes the provision of various services, such as integrated logistics support, operational and maintenance training, provision of Education and Training Centres for the Combat System and Platform Control System of ships, Life Cycle Support, and ship maintenance systems at the Jeddah Naval Base.
According to Infodefensa, the submarine S-81 Isaac Peral will carry out the first surface navigation in the open sea at the end of May. The Ministry of Defense has confirmed that this milestone will take place within a month, during a visit, the fifth in just over a year, by Minister Margarita Robles to the Cartagena Arsenal and the nearby Navantia facilities to learn about the status of the program S-80 and more specifically the advances in the tests of the S-81.
The first navigation of the S-81 Isaac Peral of the Navy will be at the end of May
At the Navantia shipyards, the Minister of Defense has been able to find out in detail the current status of the S-80 program, four state-of-the-art submarines that will be delivered to the Navy in the coming years. The president of the shipbuilding company, Ricardo Domínguez, has conveyed calm to the minister, assuring that «everything is developing as it should be, we are on the right track. You have to walk with a firm step to navigate safely».
Robles has also been informed of the details of the ship’s first surface navigation, which will take place once the safety tests have been passed. Subsequently, the first static immersion and first navigation in immersion will be carried out, before delivery to the Navy.
The minister stressed that this program «is very important for the Navy, for Cartagena and for Spain» and pointed out that «we must go little by little and follow the steps. We absolutely trust their professionalism».
The start of the sea trials was initially scheduled for the last week of March, in accordance with the deadlines handled by Defense, but it has been postponed due to technical issues. Despite this apparent delay in the program, both the manufacturer and the Ministry of Defense maintain for a year from now, in April 2023, the date of entry into service in the Navy of the first submarine of the S-80 series.
Three other submersibles named after pioneers of underwater navigation (the S-82 Narciso Monturiol, the S-83 Cosme García and the S-84 Mateo García de los Reyes) will be delivered to the Navy between 2024 and 2028. The two the latter will already have the Anaerobic Propulsion System (AIP) as standard, which allows them to generate electrical energy and navigate for weeks without going to the surface, providing tactical and discretionary capabilities that do not exist at the current date.
With the S-80 program, Spain enters the group of ten countries with the capacity to build conventional (non-nuclear) submarines, highlights the ministry. Robles has been accompanied by the Secretary of State for Defense, Esperanza Casteleiro; the Chief of the Navy General Staff, Admiral General Antonio Martorell; the General Director of Armament and Material, Admiral Aniceto Rosique, and the Admiral of Maritime Action, Juan Luis Sobrino, among others.
Navantia has started the construction process of the new F-110 class frigate for Spanish Navy, with the cutting of the first steel plate in an event presided by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presides the cutting of the first steel plate of F-110 class frigate for Spanish Navy
The programme, whose implementation order was signed in 2019, foresees the construction of five frigates, valued at 4,320 million euros. The F-111 will be commissioned in 2027 and deliveries will take place yearly.
The cutting of the first steel plate has taken place the 6th of April in Navantia’s shipyard in Ferrol (A Coruña, Spain), where all five F-110 class frigates will be built. The event was also attended by Spanish Vice Prime Minister for Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz; Finance Minister María Jesús Montero, along with Navantia’s Chairman, Ricardo Domínguez; VP for Shipbuilding, Agustín Álvarez; VP for Systems and Services, Donato Martínez, and Ferrol shipyard’s director, Eduardo Dobarro, among other authorities.
The F-110 frigates for the Spanish Navy are multi-purpose escort ships, with anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities to perform their force protection and naval power projection duties. They will operate in combination with other units, and they are versatile platforms that can also perform functions related to maritime security and support to civilian authorities.
The design of this new frigate includes advanced technological features, such as an integrated mast with different sensor and antenna solutions, a multi-mission space that expands the ship’s capabilities in all defence segments and a new, more efficient and silent hybrid propulsion plant, providing the ship with great versatility. The frigates will be equipped with the Spanish combat system, SCOMBA, developed by Navantia Sistemas.
Digital Twin
The F-110 frigate will be a smart ship, the first Spanish naval programme designed to have a Digital Twin: a virtual replica of the ship that constantly receives information from the vessel, data permanently supplied by a network of sensors distributed throughout the ship, constituting a cyber-physical system that through the use of behavioral models and technologies such as Cloud Computing, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things (IoT) allows to support its maintenance and operation even thousands of miles away through the Digital Twin deployed ashore.
The Digital Twin is complemented by an Integrated Services System (ISS), an R&D developed with the Universities of Vigo and Coruña, which will provide the ship with integrated sensors in its light points, substantially reducing its wiring. The F110 will also have 3D printers on board for the manufacture of spare parts.
They will be the first ships in the fleet to have an integrated cybersecurity system to protect the vessels against increasing cyberthreats. This will enable the ship to have a reduced crew complement for operation, which will result in improved habitability.
Navantia delivered on March 31, 2022 to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) the first of five Avante 2200 class corvettes built in its shipyards in the Bay of Cadiz, in a ceremony held at the facilities of the Naval Base of La Carraca, in San Fernando (Cádiz).
Navantia delivers to the RSNF the first Avante 2200 class corvette
The delivery ceremony of the vessel 546, named HMS Al Jubail (828), was attended by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Force, Vice Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily; the Spanish the Admiral Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy (AJEMA), Antonio Martorell Lacave; the CEO of SAMI, Walid Abukhaled; and the Chairman of Navantia, Ricardo Domínguez, as well as the Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez, and the Secretary General for Industry and SMEs, Raül Blanco.
The corvette HMS Al Jubail (828) has been delivered to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces in approximately three years since the cutting of its first steel plate (January 2019) and after having successfully passed the sea trials carried out in the waters of the Bay of Cadiz during the last few months. These tests have verified the proper functioning of both the platform and the different systems, with the aim of demonstrating compliance with the requirements specified in the ship’s contract.
The event was carried out in accordance with the military protocol. The Joint Inspection Commission (RSNF and Navantia) went on board the corvette to carry out the mandatory inspection. At the end of the inspection, the ship’s flag was raised, after which the RSNF transferred command of the corvette to the Commanding Officer of HMS Al Jubail (828). Finally, the Chairman of Navantia presented to Vice Admiral Al-Ghofaily with the ship’s bell as an institutional gift.
In the commissioning ceremony, Vice-Admiral Al-Ghofaily stated that this ambitious program underlines the strong and lasting strategic relations between the Governments of both Kingdoms and attributed a great credit to Navantia commitment to deliver such a state-of-the-art corvette with distinctive quality on schedule and. He also recognized the merits and commitment of all the people involved, as well as those of the Spanish Navy. HMS Al Jubail (828) is the most technologically advanced surface combatant to join the RSNF, he said. Vice-Admiral Al Ghofaily expressed his utmost gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense for the great attention and unlimited support that they always give to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.
The CEO of SAMI highlighted that «this is a moment of proud achievement for the Saudi defense industry and SAMI and demonstrates our success in collaboration with leading global OEMs to serve Saudi Arabia’s armed forces. We are confident that HMS Al Jubail (828) will be a key addition to the Kingdom’s defense capability». «On behalf of SAMI, I express our sincere thanks to the Kingdom’s wise leadership for constantly guiding and supporting us. We also extend a special thanks to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces for their trust in us. SAMINavantia continues to support our efforts to build a sustainable defense sector in the Kingdom, which includes developing the first Saudi Naval Combat System – HAZEM, facilitating defense localization through the transfer of technology, and nurturing national talent through on-the-job training».
Navantia’s Chairman, Ricardo Domínguez, stated his pride for «the great task carried out by the shipyard, the cooperation received from all the contractors and suppliers and the collaboration of the officers devoted to the program both in San Fernando and in Saudi Arabia». «I have no doubt that this ship is going to be an international benchmark in her class and a clear example of a cutting-edge product. I want to highlight our commitment to transfer our most advanced technology to the Kongdom of Saudi Arabia», declared Mr. Dominguez.
From the Spanish Government, the Secretary of State for Trade expressed support to the naval industry and highlighted that the Prime Minister has announced that Spain will meet its goal of allocating 2% of GDP to defence, thus contributing to European and Atlantic security, while at the same time strengthening our country’s security.
The Secretary General for Industry and SMEs conveyed in his speech the importance of strengthening the Spanish naval and defence industry in an uncertain global environment, and of working in solid alliances with allied countries as shown today by the delivery of the corvette.
AVANTE 2200 program
The corvette HMS Al Jubail (828) has a length of 104 metres/341 feet, a beam of 14 metres/46 feet and is capable of carrying a total of 102 crew and passengers. The contract for the construction of five corvettes came into force in November 2018 and, since the launching of this first unit in July 2020, Navantia has already launched the five units with a cadence of four months between each of them, which means achieving this milestone in a record time of three years.
The corvettes are based on the AVANTE 2200 design, adapted to the requirements of Saudi Arabia, offering advanced performance, excellent performance at sea, high survivability and ability to operate in extreme temperatures such as in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.
At the same time, around 500 crew members of these corvettes will complete the training process at the Navantia Training Centre (NTC) in San Fernando.
In addition to the corvettes contract, Navantia agreed with Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) the creation of the joint venture SAMINavantia in Saudi Arabia. This alliance benefits NAVANTIA and SAMI, and allows boosting defence programmes in the Kingdom, reinforcing its economy. This joint venture is an exceptional opportunity for Navantia to position its integrated systems and technologically advanced solutions in the Arab market and its area of influence, perfectly aligned with the company’s internationalisation strategy.
The design of the corvettes is state-of-the-art, incorporating SAMINavantia participation and joint developed products, such as the HAZEM combat system, HERMESYS integrated communications system, DORNA fire control system, the Integrated Platform Control System (IPMS) and the MINERVA integrated bridge, together with other equipment developed by Navantia under licence, such as the MTU engines and the RENK gearboxes.
The programme, the last ship of which is due for delivery in 2024, includes in addition to construction, Life Cycle Support for five years from delivery of the first ship, with an option for a further five years.
It also includes the provision of various services, such as integrated logistics support, operational and maintenance training, provision of Training and Training Centres for the Combat System and Platform Control System of the ships, Life Cycle Support and systems for the maintenance of the ships at King Faisal Naval Base in Jeddah.
His Majesty King Felipe VI, accompanied by Her Majesty the Queen, Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias and Her Royal Highness Infanta Sofia has presided over the launching ceremony of S-81, the first submarine of S-80 class, in Navantia shipyard in Cartagena (Murcia, Spain).
His Majesty King Felipe VI presides the launching ceremony of the first S-80 submarine
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias sponsored the submarine. As the maritime tradition demands, Her Royal Highness has cut the ribbon that activates the mechanism and smashes the bottle. Prior to the ceremony, Their Majesties and Their Royal Highnesses have visited the Engineering unit of the shipyard and its Virtual Design Centre (CDV).
With S-80 program, Spain becomes one of the few countries that can design and build submarines, an extremely complex task because these vessels must operate autonomously in a hostile environment. Therefore, represents a strong commitment with national technological development, and thus, with national defence as well as with the international positioning of Spanish industrial sector.
The launching ceremony has been attended by the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles; the President of Región de Murcia, Fernando López Miras; the Chief of the General Staff (JEMAD), Almirante General Teodoro López Calderón and the Admiral Chief of Staff of the Navy (AJEMA), Almirante General Antonio Martorell Lacave, as well as the President of Navantia, Ricardo Domínguez and the President of the Spanish State-owned holding (SEPI), Belén Gualda, among other authorities.
The S-80 programme is the greatest industrial and technological challenge ever faced by the national defence industry. Navantia is taking a huge technological step forward, as it is taking the role of Technical Design Authority for the first time. In addition, Navantia is completing the cycle of technological evolution: from building in Spain with a foreign design to building in Spain with Spanish design.
The ceremony, which has been held under health and safety precautions due to the current health situation, has taken place days ahead of the process of setting the submarine afloat. This process, which takes long hours, will be carried out by shipyard staff as a routine of work in the following week.
The next phases will be harbour tests and sea tests, which include sailing up to the maximum operating depth. The first sailing is scheduled for early 2022 and delivery to the Navy in early 2023.
Navantia’s President has expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Defence and the Navy for their «committed and unwavering support they have given to the programme, in view of its strategic importance for Spain». He has also commended the workers of the company and the collaborating industry as a great example of Spain technological capabilities.
Ricardo Domínguez has underlined that the S-80 class «gives a major boost to Spanish industry and puts Navantia firmly in the forefront giving the firm a major international profile with many opportunities in other countries». Navantia expects to repeat the successes obtained with the F-100s and the ‘LHD’ amphibious assault ships.
The Admiral Chief of Staff of the Navy has underlined that «the submarine is proof of Spanish industrial capacity and its firm commitment to technological innovation». He has added that «the S-80 provides the Navy, along with the projection capacity represented by the amphibious ships, marine infantry and embarked aviation, the escorts and the maritime action force, the means that makes it relevant in the international context».
Finally, the Minister of Defence has defined today as a historic day for Spain. She has said that the submarine means «science, innovation, technology, it is the future» and has recognized the work and effort of all those who have made possible the S-81, which she has described as a «masterpiece».
The S-80 submarines have an overall length of 80.8 metres/265 feet, a diameter of 7.3 metres/24 feet, and a submerged displacement of around 3,000 tonnes. They include the integrated combat system and platform control system developed by Navantia Sistemas. They will have BEST-AIP, an atmosphere-independent propulsion system, which supplies the ship with electrical power at any depth so that it can remain underwater for longer periods.
Therefore, S-80 has improved considerably its stealth capabilities, the main attribute of a submarine. The S-80 stands as the world’s most advanced conventional submarines and has drawn the attention of several navies and opened opportunities in a highly technological international market.
Isaac Peral (S-81) is one of the largest non-nuclear submarines in the world
The Australian Department of Defense has signed the Australian Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AAOR) «Supply» acceptance certificate, once Navantia has completed its work on board in this country.
Australia signs the AAOR «Supply» acceptance certificate
The AAOR «Supply», built in Ferrol and launched in November 2018, left for Australia on 2nd September and after more than a month sailing arrived at its naval base in Garden Island, near the city of Perth in the state of Western Australia.
Besides the workload that this construction has meant to Ferrol shipyard, the contract also includes the support to the life cycle of the two AOR ships for a period of 5 years, which will be carried out by Navantia Australia.
To Navantia, this event means an important new milestone in its internationalization process, especially in Australia, a strategic client, where 19 naval units designed by Navantia will soon be in service, 16 of which have also been built in Spain.
Navantia has launched on November 14, 2020 the second of the five corvettes built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), named Al-Diriyah, in homage to the city where the Saudi royal family has its origins, and which today is linked with San Fernando. The event, which has included telematic interventions, has been presided over by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Vice-Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily; by the Chairwoman of Navantia, Belén Gualda; by the CEO of SAMI, Walid Abukhaled and by the Admiral Chief of Staff of Spanish Army, Teodoro López Calderón. In addition, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya has been especially involved in the event with a final intervention in which she has highlighted the commitment of the Spanish Government to this naval program and the desire for future collaboration between both countries.
Navantia San Fernando celebrates the launching of the second corvette for Saudi Arabia
The ceremony has begun with a welcome from the director of shipyard, Javier Herrador, followed by a reading from the Holy Koran by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, continuing with a video about the city Al-Diriyah (which gives its name to the ship), followed by a video from Navantia about the preparations for the launching of the ship has been shown. After that, the hymns of Saudi Arabia and Spain has commenced the speeches.
Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces has highlighted the work of Navantia and the Spanish Navy, «giving the highest to achieve the training of the first crew in Spain, qualified personnel capable of operating and maintaining these ships». In this sense, the Admiral Chief of Staff of Spanish Army has also highlighted the total commitment of the Spanish Navy in this pioneering program, which involves a high-quality training beyond the construction.
CEO of SAMI has expressed his appreciation for the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in making it possible for the corvette Al-Diriyah and all other corvettes of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to be equipped with the first Saudi Combat Management System.
The Chairwoman of Navantia has had some words of thanks to the whole team working on this program, both in Spain and in Saudi Arabia has shown her commitment to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and she has expressed the purpose of Navantia to collaborate with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces throughout other future programs.
Next, Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, has proceeded to cut the ribbon from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the corvette Al-Diriyah has begun to slide down the steps until she has touched water for the first time.
Corvette Al-Diriyah has a length of 104 meters/341 feet, a beam of 14 meters/46 feet and she will be able to transport a total of 102 people including crew and passengers. It will reach a maximum speed of 27 knots/31 mph/50 km/h and, among other things, she has the capacity to carry provisions on board for 21 days.
The design of the corvettes is of the latest generation, maximizing the participation of Navantia by incorporating its own products, such as the CATIZ Combat System, the HERMESYS Integrated Communications System, the DORNA Firing Direction, the Integrated Platform Control System and the MINERVA Integrated Bridge, together with other equipment developed by Navantia under license, such as the MTU Engines or the RENK Reduction Gearboxes.
This contract, which came into force in November 2018, strengthens the immediate future of Navantia and benefits all the shipyards of the company and its auxiliary industry, especially the whole Bay of Cadiz.
Specifically, it will mean a global workload of around seven million hours which, translated into employment, will reach the figure of 6,000 annually during the next five years. Of these, more than 1,100 will be Navantia employees; more than 1,800, employees from Auxiliary Industry of Navantia and more than 3,000, indirect employees generated by other suppliers. There will be more than 100 auxiliary companies that will collaborate in this project.
This program, whose last vessel must be delivered in 2024, includes, in addition to construction, Life Cycle Support for five years, from the delivery of the first vessel, with an option for another five years.
On the other hand, the contract also includes the supply of several services such as, Integrated Logistic Support, Operational and Maintenance Training, Supply of Training and Education Centers for the Combat System and Platform Control System of the ships, the Life Cycle Support previously mentioned, and the systems for the maintenance of the ships in the Jeddah Naval Base.
OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) is pleased to announce NUSHIP Supply (II), the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) new Supply class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ship, has successfully completed its Sea Acceptance Trials (SAT) in Ferrol, Spain.
OSI IBS Included in Successful SAT for Royal Australian Navy AOR
OSI is contracted by Navantia to design and deliver Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS) for the RAN SEA 1654 AOR Program. In addition, OSI is providing onboard training and supervision of the system as the ship transits to its delivery destination.
«Working directly with Navantia was a rewarding experience», stated Ken Kirkpatrick, President and CEO, OSI Maritime Systems. «It brought together partners from Spain, Australia, and Canada, and demonstrated the cooperation that is possible in the global shipbuilding industry even with the challenges brought on by COVID-19».
NUSHIP Supply (II) is the first of two ships being delivered to the RAN. When commissioned, the ships are intended to carry fuel, dry cargo, water, food, ammunition, equipment and spare parts to provide operational support for the deployed naval or combat forces operating far from the port on the high seas for prolonged operational periods.
The IBS supplied for SEA 1654 is based upon OSI’s Warship Integrated Navigation & Tactical System (INTS) design; custom built to the RAN’s requirements. As a type approved Integrated Navigation System (INS), INTS’s scalable architecture allows for core capabilities to be designed to fit a range of bridge configurations from offshore patrol vessels to large frigate designs.
Integrated into to this innovative bridge design is ECPINS, OSI’s leading warship navigation software. ECPINS is an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Approved ECDIS and the only third-party type approved NATO WECDIS STANAG 4564. The RAN operates ECPINS fleet wide.
«Our expertise in navigation and tactical solutions is easily recognized in both integrated systems and software solutions», added Jim Davison, Vice President, Business Development. «There really is no other company that can offer both systems and software solutions that are specifically designed for naval operations and are third-party type approved».
ECPINS operates fleet wide across nine navies and INTS is currently being supplied to multiple NATO and Allied navy programs including the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canadian Surface Combat program; a design based upon the BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship.
Auxiliary Oiler Replenisher
Length
173.9 m/570.54 feet
Beam
23.0 m/75.46 feet
Displacement
19,500 tonnes
Draught
8.0 m/26.25 feet
Warship Electronic Chart Display & Information System (WECDIS)
Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System (ECPINS)
Integrated Bridge System
Based on OSI’s Integrated Navigation & Tactical System
Armament
Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS); 2×25-mm Typhoon Weapon Station; 4×12.7-mm heavy machine guns
July 22, 2020, Navantia successfully carried out at 17:22 hours the launching of AL-JUBAIL, the first of five corvettes built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). The ceremony was held in slipway number 2 at the San Fernando shipyard, and was chaired by the Commander of RSNF, H. E. Vice Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily; by the Chairwoman of Navantia, Susana de Sarriá; by the Acting CEO of SAMI, Eng. Walid Abukhaled; and by the Admiral of Logistics Support Bay of Cadiz of Spanish Navy, Vice Admiral Ricardo A. Hernández López (Alardiz).
The construction NB 546/828 AL JUBAIL was launched at 5:22 p.m.
The ceremony started with a Quran recitation made by RSNF officer. Then a video about the Al-Jubail city (which the vessel has been named after) was played, and a time-lapse video was shown in which several months of construction have been summarized and can be seen in Navantia’s website. The national anthems of the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Spain were played thereupon.
The Commander of RSNF highlighted the importance of ALSARAWAT Project, contracted to Navantia, as one of the largest capability-acquisition programs for the RSNF which reflects a strong strategic relation between Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kingdom of Spain and enlarges the cooperation between the RSNF and Spanish Navy in shipbuilding, education and training. The Commander of RSNF also indicated that the success of this project is a key factor for ambitious future projects and an enduring partnership.
He also stated that this step comes within the framework of SAMI’s strategy to support the development of the military industries in the Kingdom, as well as enhancing its strategic independence and military readiness.
The Chairwoman of Navantia highlighted Navantia’s commitment to the RSNF to replicate the successful model implemented throughout many years with the Spanish Navy, and during recent years with other navies such as the Royal Australian Navy, and provide a high capability level both to the RNSF and to the military industries sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in the corvette programme and also for future projects.
Next, the ship’s Sponsor, the Commander of RSNF, ordered Capt. Abdullah Alshehri, director of RSNF PMO ALSARAWAT to cut the ribbon on his behalf, and the corvette AL-JUBAIL slid down the slipway and touched the water for the first time.
The AL-JUBAIL has a length of 104 metres/341 feet, a beam of 14 metres/46 feet and will be able to accommodate 102 people (crew and additional personnel). It will reach a maximum speed of 27 knots/31 mph/50 km/h and, among other aspects, it has the capacity to carry 21 days’ supplies on board.
The corvettes are the latest generation of successful Navantia-designed combatants, and incorporate state-of-the-art Navantia products, such as the CATIZ Combat System, DORNA Gun Fire Control System, NAVCOMS/HERMESYS Integrated External and Internal Communications System, MINERVA Integrated Navigation and Bridge System, or COMPLEX-SIMPLEX Integrated Platform Management Platform together with equipment manufactured by Navantia under license such as the Leonardo SUPER RAPID 76-mm main gun, Rheinmetall Air Defence MILLENNIUM 35-mm close-in weapon system, MTU propulsion engines and diesel generators, and RENK gearboxes.
Since the first steel cutting was made, in January 2019, all the workshops of Navantia, in San Fernando and also in Puerto Real, have been working tirelessly. AL-JUBAIL, hull number 828, has been successfully built despite the slowdown in activity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, the safety protocols for the launching ceremony required all attendees to have their temperature taken, wear a face mask and maintain the required safety distance.
For the follow-on sister ships, the objective is to recover time and meet the initial milestones, so that the second corvette can be launched in November 2020. After the launching ceremony, Capt. Abdullah Alshehri, director of RSNF PMO ALSARAWAT, witnessed the progress in the construction of ship 830 ALDIRIYAH in slipway number 3.
The corvette program, which entered into force in November 2018, strengthens the immediate future of Navantia and benefits all the company’s shipyards and its auxiliary industry, especially the entire Bay of Cádiz.
Specifically, it will suppose a global workload of around seven million hours that, translated into employment, will reach the figure of 6,000 jobs annually during the next 5 years. From these, more than 1,100 will be direct employees, more than 1,800 employees of the auxiliary industry Navantia and more than 3,000 indirect employees generated by other suppliers. There will be more than 100 auxiliary companies that collaborate in it.
The program, whose last ship should be delivered in 2024, includes, in addition to construction, Life Cycle Support for five years, from the delivery of the first ship, with the option of another five additional years.
On the other hand, the contract also includes the supply of various services such as integrated logistical support, operational and maintenance training, supply of training and training Centers for the Combat System and Platform Control System for ships, Support to the Life Cycle, previously mentioned, and the systems for the maintenance of ships in the RNSF Jeddah Naval Base.
It has been several months of work in order to meet deadlines and deliver the last of the five corvettes in 2024
