First Saudi combat vessel build begins
Fincantieri Marinette Marine has commenced construction of the Royal Saudi Navy’s first Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ship.
Being delivered by Lockheed Martin as prime contractor, the four MMSCs were ordered in 2017 under a foreign military sales (FMS) agreement.
The FMS package request also included equipment to arm the vessels, including combat management systems with five TRS-4D radars. Also included were eight MK-41 Vertical Launch Systems and 532 tactical RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles.
Saudi Arabia also requested five AN/SWG-l (V) Harpoon ship command launch control systems; eight Harpoon Shipboard Launchers; 48 RGM-84 Harpoon Block II Missiles; five MK-15 Mod 31 SeaRAM Close-In Weapon Systems; 188 RIM 116C Block II Rolling Airframe Missiles; five MK-75 76mm OTO Melara gun systems; and 48 50-calibre machine guns.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift]()
Euronaval 2026: by the power of six, Fincantieri’s MMMV reflects modular naval shift
The 50m, six-person ship from the Italian shipbuilder carries swappable, containerised payloads instead of a fixed mission, reflecting a shift that is becoming increasingly evident.
-
![Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties]()
Canada’s submarine availability under pressure as Chicoutimi is unlikely to return to front-line duties
HMCS Victoria and HMCS Windsor could return from their current deep maintenance, but unconfirmed operational timelines leave questions over patrol capacity before the first CPSP arrives.
-
![Patrol vessel demand and partnerships anchor North Africa’s naval market]()
Patrol vessel demand and partnerships anchor North Africa’s naval market
Fincantieri and Naval Group are positioning for long-term work in Egypt and Morocco as demand for local industrial partnerships grows.
-
![UK MoD faces ‘serious’ ASW gap as Defence Committee outlines Arctic requirements]()
UK MoD faces ‘serious’ ASW gap as Defence Committee outlines Arctic requirements
Anti-submarine warfare, uncrewed vessels and seabed monitoring top the demand list in the Defence Committee’s High North roadmap for the 2030s.
