Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has laid the keel for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ (RSNF) eighth corvette, HMS Al Ula, at its San Fernando shipyard.
The ceremony, held on 2 July 2026, was attended by Corvettes and Maritime Action Vessels (CBAM) Business Unit director Alberto Cervantes, along with teams from Navantia and the RSNF programme.
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The new vessel, designated construction number C/577, forms part of the second series of three corvettes for the RSNF.
With the keel now on the slipway, Navantia is proceeding with this batch, following the 18 June launch of HMS Al Madinah, the sixth vessel built by Navantia for the RSNF and the first of the second contract signed with the Saudi Ministry of Defence.
All three ships are scheduled for delivery by 2029.
According to the contract, while Navantia will deliver the first vessel, the second and third will undergo installation, integration, and testing of their combat systems in Saudi Arabia, mirroring the arrangement in the initial contract.
As part of the agreement, Navantia will provide an integrated logistics support package and training for crew members and engineers.
The company expects to train around 100 Saudi engineers. The operational evaluation of the vessels is to take place at the Rota naval base, where Navantia will deliver support services during the assessment by the Spanish Navy.
The project is expected to comprise approximately four million working hours within the Bay of Cádiz region and to create up to 2,000 jobs, including direct, indirect, and induced positions.
The design for these new corvettes matches the previous series, using the Avante 2200 model. This multi-role platform supports maritime surveillance, search and rescue, maritime traffic control, and operational support functions.
The ships also offer capabilities for defending strategic assets and conduct intelligence gathering, with systems for anti-submarine, anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare.
Each of the corvettes is equipped with several technical systems supplied by Navantia, including combat, communications, and control technologies developed within the company and through joint ventures.
They also use MTU-licensed propulsion engines and include diesel generator sets and gearboxes provided under a Schelde licence.
Maintenance work related to the programme will be managed by Navantia’s Repairs Business Unit during periods when the vessels are docked at San Fernando.
