Turkish company Dearsan Shipyard has signed a contract to supply two 50-meter (164-foot) fast attack craft (FAC 50) to the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces.
The agreement supports Doha’s naval fleet modernization by employing new 45-meter (148-foot) surface systems to be designated as Halul 11-class with the government’s Halul 10 project, which seeks a multi-purpose corvette, a report from Qatari News Agency said.
Navy Commander Maj. Gen. Abdullah Hassan Al Sulaiti revealed that the upcoming Halul 11 combat ships will be designed for operations in territorial waters.
Meanwhile, Dearsan’s announcement revealed other applications, including reconnaissance and surveillance, anti-piracy, border control and port security, search and rescue, and humanitarian deployments.
The firm added that both fast attack craft would be fitted with armaments compatible with surface and air defense and asymmetric warfare.
Delivery in Three Years
In an interview with Naval News, Dearsan Business Development Manager Erkan Yeniçeri explained that work for the FAC 50 began four years ago.
The company is now facilitating the preliminary design phase and additional plans to complete associated evaluations according to Qatar’s requirements before moving on to the crafts’ critical design phase.
Following the manufacturing phase, the company will commence sea trials in Istanbul and Doha before delivery to the Qatari Navy.
The official handover ceremony of the first FAC 50 is expected approximately three years after the signing event, with the second following about two months later.
Qatar’s FAC 50
The FAC 50 will have a 9.2-meter (30-foot) beam and a draught of 2 meters (7 feet). Its steel hull and aluminum superstructure will be able to carry up to 30 personnel.
Three diesel engines and water jets will power the vessel for a maximum speed of over 36 knots (67 kilometers/41 miles per hour).
The boat will be armed with Çakir cruise missiles, Sungur short-range air defense missiles, STAMP lightweight remote-controlled weapon stations, 40-millimeter guns, and 12.7 man-operated machine guns.
It will be protected by Aselsan surveillance radar, an electro-optical sensor, low probability of intercept navigation, and additional electronic support capabilities.