Saudi Arabia and France inaugurated on Thursday two HSI32 Interceptors for the Royal Saudi Navy at the French Shipyard CMN in Cherbourg, Normandy.
According the a Saudi Ministry of Defense, the ceremony was held in the presence of a number of Saudi and French military officials, including the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Lieutenant General Fahd bin Abdullah Al Ghafaily and Iskandar Safa, owner of Privinvest Holding and the main shareholder of the CMN.
The contract between Saudi Arabia and France is worth $600 million. The deal will be implemented over three years and will see the production of 39 vessels in Cherbourg and Saudi Arabia, said French sources. French shipyards will build 21 vessels and the remaining will be built in the Kingdom.
According to CMN, the HSI32 is a fast interceptor which combines significant intelligence and surveillance capacities with high speed (45 knots) and extended patrol period of three days. The vessel has a range of 800 nautical miles and a crew of 12 sailors.
Ghafaily underscored at the ceremony the high support the Saudi forces, including the navy, enjoy from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Adbulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
This support has seen the signing of weapons and training contracts and future projects in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, he added.
These developments will transform Saudi naval forces into global powers that befit the Kingdom’s pioneering role in the region and world, he continued. The naval forces seek through this projects and others to develop their combat abilities in order to protect Saudi interests in economic and regional waters.
For his part, Safa told Asharq Al-Awsat that his company is proud with the cooperation with Saudi Arabia. The HSI32 Interceptor is one of the best of its kind in the world.
He explained that it is the first such vessel to be manufactured from aluminum, not steel. This allows it to be faster.
He hoped that this cooperation will pave the way for greater projects, stressing that his company was proud to be playing a role in bringing Vision 2030 to life.
Chairman at Zamil Group Holding Co. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Zamil told Asharq Al-Awsat that Thursday’s development was a “historic moment” because it was an opportunity to execute the vision launched by Crown Prince Mohammed.
He revealed that the firm has started the manufacturing of interceptors at its shipyards. The construction of the first vessel is set to be complete in nine months.
Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the French company will deliver one vessel every month.
