The patrol ship with pennant number Z 20 has been named RNOV Al-Seeb after an Omani town near Muscat. According to RNO commander Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah al-Raisi, the vessel will replace a currently-in-service Dhofar-class patrol craft of the same name and pennant number, which was commissioned in the early 1980s.
The new Al-Seeb is armed with one Oto Melara 76 mm Super Rapid system as a primary weapon and two Oto Melara 30 mm guns located on each side of the ship. The vessel is also equipped with the Lacroix Sylena multimode soft-kill decoy system.
According to specifications provided by ST Marine, the ship has a maximum speed of 25 kt at sea state three and can attain a range of 3,000 n miles at a speed of 16 kt. It has an endurance of 15 days and can operate in conditions of up to sea state five.
In his address during the naming ceremony, Rear Adm Abdullah described the Al-Ofouq patrol ships as a significant addition to the RNO's capabilities.
"The high manoeuvrability, excellent sea keeping and aviation capabilities, including advanced deck-landing facilities allowing safe operation of helicopters, all make these ships highly adaptable multiple role surface vessels capable of sustained operations throughout the sultanate's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone," he said.
"[ Al-Seeb ] will next undergo integration and testing of the combat management system before the vessel conducts its live firing trials in early 2015," said Ng Sing Chan, president of ST Marine.
The shipyard has also told IHS Jane's that Al-Seeb is currently scheduled for delivery to the RNO in the second quarter of 2015, with the final vessel-in-class to be handed over in the third quarter of 2016.
In April 2012, ST Marine beat Dutch company Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and India's Goa Shipyard to clinch the four-ship contract on offer by the Omani Ministry of Defence.
Sumber : Janes
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