Royal Bahrain Naval Force receives first upgraded Al-Manama FPB 62 patrol combatant
The Royal Bahrain Naval Force received its first upgraded Al-Manama class guided-missile patrol combatant in a ceremony on January 22 at the main navy base in Mina Salman.
The FPB 62 patrol combatant was delivered by Italian defense company Leonardo after the company was awarded a modernization contract in 2015.
The €50 million contract will see the company upgrade a total of six naval vessels by 2020.
According to Leonardo, the upgrades include a new weapon control system, training services and logistics.
The Al-Manama-class vessels were built for Bahrain by German shipbuilder Lürssen with deliveries starting in 1987. Overall two of the 63-meter vessels were built.
FPB 62 patrol combatants displace 650 meters and have a complement of 40. According to shipbuilder specifications, they were delivered with an OTO Melara 76 mm gun, an Otobreda 40 mm gun, MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles and Dagaie decoys.
