Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered the first Al Zubarah-class corvette of four vessels ordered by the Qatari Ministry of Defence under the national naval acquisition program.
The delivery ceremony took place at Muggiano (La Spezia) shipyard in Italy on 28 October. With a length and beam of 107 meters and 14.7 meters, the new Al Zubarah-class corvettes feature a combined diesel and diesel plant (CODAD) configured propulsion system. They will be able to reach a maximum speed of 28 knots hosting 112 people on board.
The unit, designed consistent with the RINAMIL rules, will be highly flexible and capable of fulfilling different kinds of tasks, from surveillance with sea rescue capacities to being fighting vessels. They will be able to accommodate 112 persons on board.
Furthermore, the corvettes will be capable of operating high-speed boats such as rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) through lateral cranes or a hauling ramp located at the far stern. The flight deck and hangar are sized for hosting one NH90 helicopter.
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Italian shipbuilding company in August 2017. In addition to four corvettes, the deal includes the construction of two OPV/FACM type ships based on the Falaj 2-class ships. The launching ceremonies for the second and third vessel were held in February and September this year, respectively.