The event, held just a week after the signing of the new contract between Navantia and the Saudi Ministry of Defence in Riyadh, was attended by Navantia President Ricardo Domínguez and the rear admiral of the RSNF, Mansour Aljuaid.
The sheet metal cutting was carried out in the Open-Plane Units Workshop, which is currently finalising its equipment and will be a key milestone in the production process of future constructions at the shipyard.
The workshop uses the latest hybrid laser technology, significantly reducing production times. This workshop is one of the largest investments made at the San Fernando shipyard and will allow Navantia, alongside other initiatives undertaken at all its centres, to position itself at the forefront of shipbuilding.
This first sheet metal cutting marks the beginning of Navantia’s second contract for Avante 2200 class corvettes with the Saudi Royal Navy, after completing the first contract which included the construction and delivery of five units.
With the effective start of this new contract, the last of the three ships is scheduled for delivery in 2028. Navantia will be responsible for the delivery of the first unit, while the second and third will be completed in Saudi Arabia, including the installation, integration and testing of the combat system, as in the previous contract.
The order includes an integrated logistics support package and crew training, together with an operational evaluation period of the ships by the Navy at the Rota naval base, where Navantia will provide support services. In addition, Navantia will train one hundred Saudi engineers.
This contract represents around four million hours of work for the Bay of Cadiz, generating an impact of up to 2,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced employment).
This second series of three corvettes for Saudi Arabia will be identical to the first series, with a design based on the NAVANTIA AVANTE 2200 model; a multipurpose vessel specifically designed for maritime traffic surveillance and control missions, search and rescue missions and assistance to other vessels, among other functions. In addition, the vessels will have significant capabilities for the defence of strategic assets, intelligence and anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, anti-surface and electronic warfare.
The corvettes are designed to be cutting-edge, maximising Navantia’s participation by incorporating its own products such as the HAZEM combat system (through the SAMINavantia joint venture), the HERMESYS integrated communications system, the DORNA fire control system, the Integrated Platform Control System, the MINERVA integrated bridge, the propulsion engines (under licence from MTU), and the diesel generator sets and the gearboxes (under licence from Schelde). Finally, the Repairs business unit will also participate in the programme with the work to be carried out during the corvettes’ dry docking in San Fernando.
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