Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered the second of two Musherib-class offshore patrol vessels to the Qatar Emiri Navy.
The vessel is named Sheraouh and was delivered six months after the hand-over of the first ship in January this year.
Qatar bought the two ships as part of a wider 4 billion euro contract signed in 2016 that envisions the delivery of a total of seven ships. In addition to the OPVs, Fincantieri is delivering four Al-Zubarah-class corvettes by 2023, as well as a landing platform dock ship that is expected to be similar in design to the Italian Navy’s San Giorgio-class amphibious transport dock.
The OPVs are about 63 meters long, 9.2 meters wide, and have a maximum speed of 30 knots with a crew of 38. The propulsion systems have four variable pitch propellers, two to starboard and two to the left, each in line with a diesel propulsion engine. Furthermore, the vessels will be capable of operating a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) through a crane located at the stern.
In addition to a 76mm main gun, the OPVs will feature 8-cell VLS cells for the employment of surface-to-air missiles, while anti-ship capability will be provided by Exocet anti-ship missiles.
Delivery of new landing craft fleet in Turkey
In a separate ceremony on July 6, Qatar received four landing craft from the Anadolu Shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey.
The Al-Ebrar Project ships, named Fuwarit, Broog, Ishat and Al-Aaleya, were delivered within 22 months from the contract signing. According to the shipbuilder, they will be sent to Qatar after six weeks of tactical shakedown trainings.
Anadolu Shipyard also completed the delivery of two armed cadet training ships to Qatar earlier this year.
