In July 2018, the
Saudi government awarded Navantia a €1.8 billion ($2.1 billion) contract to
build five Avante 2200 corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF).
The trials will last
two months in total, divided into two distinct periods. The current trial
period is scheduled to last about two weeks. They are attended by 140 people,
including 40 engineers of various specialities.
The corvettes’ construction began in January 2019 at the San Fernando shipyard and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2024. The builder is also responsible for providing lifecycle support to the vessels for a five-year base period with a five-year extension option under the contract.
Navantia, partner
Industries, Lloyds Register of Shipping, and major equipment supplier companies
are staffing the trials. The RSNF and members of the Spanish Navy will also
take part in the process.
Before the delivery, sea
trials are conducted to test the operation of both the platform and the various
systems and their compliance with the contract requirements. Once this period
is over, Al-Jubail, launched in July 2020, will have its combat system
installed before the ship’s delivery.
Al Jubail has a length
of 104 metres, a beam of 14, and a capacity of 102 people. The RSNF corvettes
will be capable of a top speed of 27 knots.
The vessel is
primarily used for surveillance and protection of exclusive economic zones
(EEZs).
It is also suited for
anti-surface warfare (ASuW), electronic warfare, maritime protection,
intelligence gathering, search and rescue (SAR), humanitarian aid and marine
pollution control, and combating smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal
immigration.
Al-Jubail is the first
of five corvettes built for the RSNF, and its launching ceremony was held in
July 2020. The second vessel is in an advanced stage of construction. At the
same time, the keel-laying ceremony of the third corvette was held in August
2020.