Al-Ofouq-class patrol vessel

Al-Ofouq class
Class overview
BuildersST Marine
Operators Royal Navy of Oman
Preceded byProvince-class fast attack craft
Planned4
Completed4
Active4
General characteristics
TypePatrol boat
Displacement1,100 tonnes [1]
Length75 m (246 ft)[1]
Beam10.8 m (35 ft)[1]
Draught3.3 m (11 ft)[1]
Propulsion2 x MTU 20V 8000 M91 diesel engines, CODELOD
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[1]
Range3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi)[1]
Complement66[1]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Thales Variant 2D radar[2]
  • TACTICOS combat management system[2]
  • Thales Nederland STIR 1.2 EO Mk 2 electro-optic weapons director[2]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Thales Vigile ESM[2]
  • Lacroix Sylena multimode soft-kill decoy system
Armament
  • 1 × 76 mm Oto Melara cannon, 'A' position
  • 2 × 30 mm Oto Melara Marlin-WS, amidship[3]
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck capable of launching one medium-sized helicopter[4]

The Al-Ofouq class are four patrol vessels of Royal Navy of Oman as replacements for the Province-class fast attack craft patrol vessels.

Following a competitive international tender in April 2012, ST Marine of Singapore won the USD703 million contract from the Omani Defence Ministry, beating off Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and India's Goa Shipyard.[5] The Al-Ofouq class is based on the 75 m (246 ft) variant of the 55 m (180 ft) Fearless-class patrol vessel currently used by the Republic of Singapore Navy.

Operational history

RNOS Al-Seeb and Al-Shinas took part in the 13th edition of Indo-Oman maritime exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze) along with the Indian Navy's INS Trikand, INS Sumitra and Dornier 228 MPA from 19–24 November 2022. BAE Systems Hawk of the Royal Air Force of Oman also participated in the exercise.[6]

RNOS Al-Seeb also took part in the 14th edition of Indo-Oman maritime exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze) along with the Indian Navy's INS Trikand and Dornier 228 MPA from 13–18 October 2024.[7]

Ships of class

Number Pennant number Name Builder Launched Commissioned Status
1 Z 20 Al-Seeb ST Marine, Benoi, Singapore 29 January 2014[5] 31 March 2015[8] Active
2 Z 21 Al-Shinas[8] ST Marine, Benoi, Singapore 14 June 2014[5] Active
3 Z 22 Sadh ST Marine, Benoi, Singapore 17 September 2014[5] Active
4 Z 23 Khassab ST Marine, Benoi, Singapore 24 June 2016[4] 2 August 2016 Active

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Al-Ofouq-class Project Reference". Cofelyaxima Marine. 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
  2. ^ a b c d "Thales lands contract for Omani Patrol Vessels" (PDF). Thales. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
  3. ^ "Naval Mid-Cal: Remote-control Cannon Proliferation at Sea". Armada International. 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-01-10. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  4. ^ a b Rahmat, Ridzwan. "ST Marine delivers Oman's final Al-Ofouq patrol vessel". IHS Jane's 360. IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "ST Marine launches third Omani patrol vessel". IHS Janes. 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
  6. ^ "EXERCISE NASEEM AL BAHR - 2022 SEA PHASE". Press Information Bureau. 2022-11-24. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  7. ^ "INDIAN NAVY - ROYAL NAVY OF OMAN MARITIME EXERCISE (NASEEM AL BAHR)". Press Information Bureau. 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  8. ^ a b "Oman accepts first Al-Ofouq patrol vessel, names second". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-01.