The Corvette “Al Khor” was delivered to the Qatari Ministry of Defense on December 22, 2022, at the Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia, Italy. This vessel is the third of four corvettes of the Al Zubarah / Doha class that were ordered from Fincantieri by the Qatari Ministry of Defense as part of the country’s national naval acquisition program, according to the Fincantieri website.

The Al Zubarah-class corvettes, built to RINAMIL standards, will be multipurpose vessels capable of anything from surveillance and maritime rescue to combat. They’ll have a maximum speed of 28 knots, measure around 107 meters in length, and be powered by a combined diesel and diesel plant (CODAD).

A total of 112 passengers will be able to board each unit and sail as far as 3,500 nautical miles (nmi) with an endurance of 21 days.

Also, the corvettes will be able to operate RHIBs (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats) and other high-speed boats using lateral cranes or a hauling ramp in the very back of the ship. The helicopter hangar and flying deck can accommodate a single NH90.

Defense Attaché of the State of Qatar in Rome, Staff Major General Hilal Al Muhannadi, was present, as were the Head of QAF Projects, Major General Hassan Rashid Al Ali, Rear Admiral Giuseppe Scorsone, Director of the Maritime Military Arsenal of La Spezia, and Senior Vice President Market Development and Innovation Naval Vessels Division of Fincantieri, Andrea Viero.

The “Damsah” corvette, the second of four ships of the Al Zubarah class ordered by the Qatari Ministry of Defense from Fincantieri, is delivered on April 28, 2022 at the Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia, Italy.

Meanwhile, the delivery of the first “Doha”-class corvette “Al Zubarah,” which took place at the Muggiano shipyard, was carried out on October 28, 2021.

Sensor and Weapon

The ship’s arsenal includes an IFF identification system, infrared search and tracking systems, fire control radar, electro-optical fire control systems, a towed array torpedo detection system, obstacle and mine avoidance sonar, and a combat management system.

 Armament

• 1  OTO Melara 76 mm gun
• 16  Aster 30 Block 1 surface-to-air missiles
• 8  Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles
• 2 remote Hitrole weapons
• 1 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile

Dimension

Displacement: 3,250 tons
Length: 107 meters
Beam 14.7 meters

Greek Corvette Project

Fincantieri, in addition to their work for Qatar, will also develop corvettes for Greece.

Fincantieri and ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group have agreed to collaborate on the building and upkeep of the corvette at the Onex Elefsis Shipyard in Attica, Greece.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, and Panos Xenokostas, President & CEO of ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group, signed the deal on 16 December 2022 in the presence of Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Development and Investment of Greece.

As part of the arrangement, Onex Elefsis Shipyard would build a 2+1 corvette (two corvettes with an option for a third ship), as well as perform upgrades, maintenance, and the transfer of technology and equipment for a total cost of about 80 million euros.

*Cover image: Doc. Al Zubarah/Doha Class Corvette (@Fincantieri)