Abu Dhabi Ship Building launches first indigenouslybuilt Ghannatha Missile Boat for the UAE Navy
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Abu Dhabi, July 11, 2012 – AbuDhabi Ship Building, the leading shipbuilder and naval support servicesprovider in the Gulf region, has today launched its first Ghannatha MissileBoat at its Mussafah shipyard facilities.
The Ghannatha Phase II program was awarded to ADSB in 2009. ADSB wascommissioned to construct 12 new Missile Boats and retrofit the existingADSB-built Ghannatha Phase I troop carriers into gun boats and mortar boats.
As with the previous Phase I program, ADSB’s strategic partnerinvolved in the project is Swedeship Marine from Sweden, which is constructingthree of the 12 missile vessels with the remaining nine vessels built at ADSB. Abu Dhabi Systems Integration (ADSI) is responsible for all integrationactivities, including the complex combat equipment fitted into the vessel.
The Ghannatha Phase 2 program for the UAE Navy is one of the mostsignificant programs currently under construction in the region. Thevessel’s outfit includes the latest propulsion/auxiliary systems and alsothe latest state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and combat management systemmaking it one of the most compact small-size naval fighting platformsavailable.
The vessels carry a surface-to-surface missile system, and are alsofitted with a main gun forward and small gun located aft. The vessels, eachmeasuring 27 metres, are manufactured using marine-grade aluminium alloy andare powered by twin MTU marine diesel engines coupled to Rolls Royce waterjets,allowing the vessels to travel at speeds in excess of 35 knots.
Marking yet another launch day at ADSB, CEO Mohamed Salem Al Junaibicommented: “We are again delighted to be able to launch another vesselfor the UAE Navy. This project has potentially redefined inshore navalcapability concepts. We believe that having a vessel under 30 metres fittedwith two guns and a missile system will undoubtedly gain popularity for otherregional operators. We would also like to thank the UAE Navy for giving us theopportunity to build this potentially new concept and also thank them for theirsupport and co-operation on the project.”
All 12 vessels will be completed and delivered to the UAEN in arolling programme with final delivery of the last Missile Boat scheduled for2014.
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