The United Arab Emirates has signed a 3.5 billion dirham ($950 million) contract with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to manufacture four new patrol vessels for its navy, ADSB said on Tuesday.
The Falaj-3 class is a flexible offshore patrol vessel used to carry out a wide range of missions. Its contract was ADSB’s largest ever order, ADSB added.
According to Khalid al-Breiki, chairman of ADSB and president of the Mission Support at EDGE, this contract “represents a resounding vote of confidence in ADSB from the Ministry of Defense and the UAE Navy.”
“The contract will provide the company with a platform for sustainable profitable growth, while maintaining strategic national assets that are critical to defend the UAE.”
CEO of ADSB David Massey, for his part, said ADSB’s relationship with key stakeholders has grown stronger since it has become a part of the EDGE Group.
“This contract underscores our mutual commitment to serving the UAE Navy with the right products and advanced shipping solutions - to enable a secure future,” he noted, adding that the ADSB looks forward to expanding and enhancing its portfolio of vessels.
ADSB had previously built the UAE Navy’s Baynunah-class corvettes, the last of which was delivered in 2017.
ADSB, which operates three main naval programs - corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and fast patrol boats - is part of the Platforms & Systems cluster of EDGE, an advanced technology group for defense and beyond, which ranks among the world’s top 25 military suppliers.
