The Al Zubarah-class corvette,[1][2] sometimes called the Doha class,[3][4] is a class of multi-role corvette operated by the Qatari Emiri Navy. Four were built by Fincantieri.[1]
Development
On 16 June 2016,[5] Qatar awarded Fincantieri a €4 billion contract that included the construction of the four Al Zubarah corvettes. The ships were delivered between 2021 and 2023.[1]
In 2023, Fincantieri offered Greece a derivative of the Al Zubarah, the FCx30.[3]
Characteristics
The vessels are about 107m in length with a beam of 14.7m. They are equipped with combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion. They have accommodation for 112 people. They are capable of operating rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB) through a stern ramp or cranes.[6]
The flight deck and hangar can accommodate a helicopter the size of an NH90.[6]
The class is designed for air-defence missions and are equipped with 16 Aster 30 Block 1NT surface-to-air missiles as well as 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles.[7]
In addition they are equipped with a 76mm main gun and two remote weapon stations.[7]
For protection, the ships have four Sylena Mk2 decoy launchers by Lacroix Defence.[7] The launchers are able to deploy corner reflector decoys to seduce radar-guided missiles as well as decoys that operate against infra-red seekers.[8]
Ships in class
| Name | Hull no. | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Zubarah | F101 | Fincantieri, Muggiano | June 2018 | 27 February 2020[9] | 28 October 2021 (delivered)[1] | In service |
| Damsah | F102 | 13 February 2021[10][4] | 28 April 2022 (delivered)[1] | In service | ||
| Al Khor | F103 | 30 September 2021[11] | 22 December 2022 (delivered)[1] | In service | ||
| Sumaysimah | F104 | 13 February 2021[1] | 29 March 2022[12] | 16 May 2023 (delivered)[1] | In service |
See also
- Littoral combat ship
- Kamorta-class corvette
- Steregushchiy-class corvette
- MILGEM project
- Formidable-class frigate
- Gepard-class frigate
- Incheon-class frigate
- Guaiquerí-class patrol boat
- Abu Dhabi-class corvette
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Tringham, Kate (2023-05-17). “Fincantieri delivers final Al Zubarah-class corvette to Qatar”. Janes. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b c d e “Al Zubarah Class”. Fincantieri. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b “Onex And Fincantieri Unveil The Strategy For The Hellenic Navy Corvettes”. Fincantieri. 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b “Second Doha-class corvette Damsah launched”. Qatar Tribune. 14 February 2021.
- ^ “Undersecretary of State for Defence Pucciarelli delivers corvette Al Zubarah to the Qatari Navy”. Ministry of Defence of Italy. 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ a b “Fincantieri | FINCANTIERI DELIVERS THE FIRST CORVETTE FOR QATAR”. web.archive.org. 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ a b c Vavasseur, Xavier (2020-02-27). “Fincantieri Launches Qatar’s 1st Air Defense Corvette “Al Zubarah” – Naval News”. Naval News. Archived from the original on 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ “Lacroix Defense – Solutions navales – Gamme Sylena”. www.lacroix-defense.com (in French). Archived from the original on 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-03-31.
- ^ “Fincantieri Launches Qatar’s 1st Air Defense Corvette “Al Zubarah”“. Naval News. 2020-02-27. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
- ^ “Fincantieri launches the second corvette for Qatar”. 13 February 2021.
- ^ “RID Rivista Italiana Difesa”. www.rid.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
- ^ “RID Rivista Italiana Difesa”. www.rid.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-03-31.