Baynunah-class

Summary

Description

The Baynunah class corvettes are a series of ships designed and built for the United Arab Emirates Navy (UAE Navy) with a total program cost of US$820 million. The class is named after the lead ship, Baynunah, which derives its name from the Baynunah region in Abu Dhabi, and consists of six planned ships. The Baynunah class is intended to conduct a variety of missions including patrol and surveillance, minelaying, interception, and anti-surface warfare operations within the UAE's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.

The origins of the Baynunah class date back to 2004 when the UAE Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to replace the older Ardhana-class patrol craft. The Baynunah class is based on the Combattante BR70 design by the CMN Group (Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie). The lead ship in the class was constructed in France by CMN, whereas subsequent vessels were built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) in the UAE.

In terms of design, the Baynunah class embodies capabilities suitable for operations in the UAE's specific maritime environment. It is geared to undertake various missions pivotal for regional security and defense. The armament provided on these ships aligns with their priority missions and includes capabilities for engaging surface targets, conducting maritime surveillance, and deploying mines, among other combat system features.

The first of the Baynunah class, the lead ship Baynunah, was launched on 25 June 2009, with sea trials commencing in January 2010. Following sea trials and systems testing, the lead ship was expected to be delivered to the UAE Navy after 2011. The fourth ship, named Mezyad, was launched on 15 February 2012 by ADSB, which expressed hopes of international sales, though there was a lack of interest from the Saudi and Kuwaiti navies. Al-Hili, the final ship in the class, was launched on 6 February 2014.

The operational history of the Baynunah class includes participation in the Saudi Arabian-led naval blockade of Yemen during the Yemeni Civil War, where several ships from this class contributed to the collective intervention efforts.

These corvettes serve as an essential component of the UAE Navy, reflecting the country's aim to bolster its maritime defense capabilities. Although initially intended for the UAE Navy, ADSB sought potential sales abroad, which could have influenced the operational spread of the Baynunah class corvettes. However, as of the information provided, the UAE remains the only country operating ships of this class.

Technical specifications

Photo of Baynunah class