Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette
Abu Dhabi Ship Building launches ‘Mezyad’ as fourth vessel of Baynunah Corvette Class Program for the UAE Navy. Abu Dhabi Ship Building completes expansion of facility to accommodate more vessels for fit outs, tests and trials.
Abu Dhabi Ship Building, the leading shipbuilder and naval support services provider in the Gulf region and a strategic affiliate of Mubadala, has today (Wednesday, February 15, 2012) launched “Mezyad”, the fourth vessel of the Baynunah Corvette Class Program for the UAE Navy and the third vessel under the Baynunah fleet constructed by Abu Dhabi Ship Building. The vessel was launched in the presence of senior officials from the UAE Navy and Abu Dhabi Ship Building.
The Mezyad features the highest level of outfitting prior to launch as it is equipped with propulsion machinery including engine and weapons such as Main Gun, Side Guns that were installed in June, September and October 2011. More than 100 kilometres of electrical cables and a large number of piping and equipment have also been installed to complete the outfitting phase of the Mezyad, which has also undergone complete grid blasting and painting.
Abu Dhabi Ship Building also announced today that it has completed the extension of the quay wall of its shipbuilding facility by about 155 meters, and has finished construction of a new pontoon and an electrical substation. The expansion program enables Abu Dhabi Ship Building to accommodate more vessels for fit outs, tests and trials.
Construction of the Mezyad started with steel cutting for hull construction on May 10, 2007. The keel was laid on November 28, 2007, while the hull was completed in 2008 and the superstructure was installed later that year. The ship’s hull is made of steel and the superstructure is made of marine-grade aluminium. The Baynunah Corvette Class Program is the biggest warship construction program in the region consisting of six state-of-the-art warships for the UAE Navy. Each of the 72-metre highly-advanced corvettes can be deployed for various missions, including coastal patrol and surveillance, helicopter operations, and peacetime patrols.
The Baynunah-Class Corvettes’ key features include a stealthy-like superstructure, a helicopter landing deck and a hangar. The Corvettes will also be fitted with Anti-Ship Missiles, and air-defence missiles; 3D Surveillance, Navigation and Fire control Radars and a Multivendor electronic warfare suite. The Baynunah Program is being undertaken at the world-class Abu Dhabi Ship Building facility in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. The first of the Baynunah vessels was built at CMN's Cherbourg yard under a subcontract agreement with Abu Dhabi Ship Building. The second Baynunah vessel, named 'Al Hesen', and the third vessel, named “Al Dhafra”, were launched in 2011. All six corvette vessels are expected to be delivered to the UAE Navy by 2014.