Saudi Defense Ministry Partners With Navantia For Acquisition Of Three Advanced Combat Ships

The Ministry of Defense has formalised an agreement with Spain's Navantia Company to procure three Avante 2200 corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). The signing ceremony took place in Riyadh, attended by Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili. Dr. Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari and Navantia Chairman Ricardo García-Baquero signed the contract on behalf of their respective parties.

Construction of the first vessel is set to begin this year, with the final ship expected to be delivered by 2028. The first vessel will be built in Spain, while the systems for the subsequent ships will be completed in Saudi Arabia. This includes acceptance testing and integration of the Saudi-developed naval battle combat management system (HAZEM) as part of localisation efforts.

The agreement aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to localise military industries and sustain naval systems. Navantia will offer a comprehensive logistics support package, including crew training and a full-scale training plan for over 100 Saudi engineers. The goal is to localise up to 100% of ship construction, system integration, and maintenance.

Dr. Al-Biyari highlighted that this contract supports Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's vision to establish an advanced naval industry base in Saudi Arabia. It also follows directives from Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz to enhance Armed Forces readiness and maximise local content use.

This new contract builds on the success of the Sarawat project, which saw the completion and delivery of five combat ships. This achievement has improved naval forces' readiness, enhanced regional maritime security, and protected Saudi Arabia's strategic interests.

Ricardo García-Baquero expressed his satisfaction with signing this new acquisition contract following the Sarawat project's success. He described it as a significant advancement for both Navantia and RSNF, noting that these vessels incorporate cutting-edge combat systems against air, surface, and underwater threats.

Commitment to Technology Transfer

García-Baquero reiterated Navantia's commitment to transferring technology to Saudi engineers and contributing to localising technical capabilities within the Kingdom. He emphasised that these ships are among the most advanced in their class globally.

The collaboration between Navantia and Saudi Arabia marks a significant step towards achieving self-reliance in military capabilities while enhancing regional security through advanced naval technology.

With inputs from SPA