Italian shipbuilding firm Fincantieri has launched the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces’ 143-meter (469-feet) landing platform dock (LPD).
Named “Al Fulk,” the amphibious vessel is one of the seven ships that Fincantieri is building for Doha as part of a 4-billion-euro ($4.3-billion) contract signed in 2016.
It will be tasked to ensure “extremely efficient” land-air-marine connections to support a wide range of military missions.
Apart from the landing dock, the Italian firm is also delivering four corvettes and two offshore patrol vessels.
A ceremony to mark the event was held at the company’s Palermo shipyard in the presence of Qatar defense minister Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah and his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto.
The ‘Al Fulk’
A variant of the San Giusto-class LPD, the Al Fulk will feature a flight deck large enough to host a number of NH90 helicopters.
With a width of 21.5 meters (70 feet), it can carry up to 550 military personnel.
Its internal floodable dock can accommodate a ready-to-go Landing Craft Mechanized ship.
The Al Fulk will have a 16-cell vertical launch system for Aster 15 and Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles.
It will also be able to carry Leonardo’s 76/62-millimeter Super Rapid gun and MARLIN-WS 30-millimeter remotely-controlled guns.
A ship taking flight, with strength and courage, soaring through the waves like a hawk in the sky.
LPD #AlFulk's journey has just begun.#Fincantieri pic.twitter.com/luCM1I3R1B— Fincantieri (@Fincantieri) January 25, 2023
