Qatar has received the fourth Al Zubarah-class corvette from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri at the company’s Muggiano shipyard.
The “Semaisma” is the final corvette delivered under a $4.3 billion contract signed in 2016 for seven different surface vehicles.
The latest Al Zubarah vessel was launched in March last year. The class’ first and second corvettes were delivered in 2021, while the third was handed over in 2022.
Alongside the corvettes, Qatar will receive two 63-meter (206-foot) Musherib-class offshore vessels and a 143-meter (470-foot) amphibious landing platform.
The Al Zubarah Class
Also called the Doha class, the Al Zubarah vessels have a length of 107 meters (351 feet) and are integrated with combined diesel and diesel propulsion system for a maximum speed of 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour).
An Al Zubarah corvette can carry more than 100 personnel and deploy high-speed crafts such as rigid hull inflatable boats that haul ramps and lateral cranes.
The ship’s hangar and flight deck can accommodate one NH90 multirole helicopter.
The Al Zubarah-class is equipped with advanced radars, defense sub-systems, and onboard sensors.
Furthermore, the fleet is armed with 70-millimeter Melara naval guns, anti-torpedoes, Thesan mine countermeasures sonar, Exocet anti-ship missiles, Aster surface-to-air missiles, and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles.