Al Madinah-class frigate
{{Short description|Saudi warship class}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Royal Saudi Navy Al Madinah-class Frigate 2(1).jpg | Ship caption = Al Madinah in 2017 }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Al Madinah class | Builders = *Arsenal de Lorient, France | Operators = {{naval|Saudi Arabia}} | Class before = | Class after = Al Riyadh class | Subclasses = | Cost = | Built range = 1981–1986 | In service range = | In commission range = 1985–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 4 | Total ships completed = 4 | Total ships cancelled = | Total ships active = 4 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Frigate | Ship displacement = *1,990 tons standard
| Ship length = {{convert|377|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|41|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|15|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} | Ship draft = | Ship power = {{convert|32500|bhp|abbr=on|lk=in}} | Ship propulsion = 2 shaft, SEMT Pielstick diesel engines | Ship speed = {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = {{convert|8000|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|abbr=on}} | Ship endurance = | Ship complement = 179 | Ship sensors = *Radars
| Ship EW = *Thompson CSF DR4000 ESM, SENIT VI CCS,
| Ship armament = *8 × Otomat mk 2 anti ship missiles
| Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = 1 × SA365F Dauphin helicopter | Ship aircraft facilities = Flight deck and hangar | Ship notes = }} |
The Al Madinah class are a series of four frigates built in France for the Royal Saudi Navy. The ships are named after Saudi cities. The first, Al Madinah was commissioned in 1985, and the fourth, Taif was commissioned in 1986. All four Al Madinah-class frigates are based in the Red Sea.
Description
The frigates were ordered in October 1980 as part of the "Sawari" programme. The Al Madinah class was built in France at the Arsenal de Marine, Lorient (French Government Dockyard and CNIM, La Seyne in the mid-1980s. Their full load displacement is 2,610 tons and they are armed with eight Otomat surface-to-surface missiles, one 8-cell Crotale surface-to-air missile launcher, with 26 missiles total. The vessels are also armed with one 100 mm/55 dual purpose gun, two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes. The frigates have an aft helicopter deck and hangar for use by one Dauphin helicopter.{{cite web |url=http://www.deagel.com/Fighting-Ships/Al-Madinah_a002832001.aspx |title=Al Madinah |website=deagel.com |date=7 April 2017 |accessdate=27 June 2017}}
Ships in class
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Ship | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 702 Al Madinah | Arsenal de Lorient | 15 October 1981 | 23 April 1983 | 4 January 1985 |
| 704 Hofouf | CNIM, La Seyne | 14 June 1982 | 24 June 1983 | 31 October 1985 |
| 706 Abha | CNIM, La Seyne | 17 December 1982 | 23 December 1983 | 4 April 1986 |
| 708 Taif | CNIM, La Seyne | 1 March 1983 | 25 May 1984 | 29 August 1986 |
Service history
In August 2013, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French ODAS agency signed a contract to upgrade and modernize the Al Madinah-class frigates.{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2013-news/august-2013-navy-world-naval-forces-maritime-industry-technology-news/1222-dcns-thales-mbda-win-billion-euro-defense-contract-to-upgrade-royal-saudi-navy-vessels.html |title=DCNS, Thales, MBDA win billion-euro defense contract to upgrade Royal Saudi Navy vessels |website=navyrecognition.com |date=30 August 2013 |accessdate=27 June 2017}}
On 30 January 2017, Al Madinah was attacked by Yemeni Houthi militia along the western coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. Two Saudi sailors were killed and three injured in the attack. Houthi forces claimed to have targeted the ship with a missile, but Saudi forces claim that the ship was hit by 3 "suicide boats".{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2017/january-2017-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/4852-royal-saudi-navy-al-madinah-class-frigate-damaged-following-attack-by-houthi-militia-off-yemen.html |title=Royal Saudi Navy Al Madinah-class Frigate Damaged Following Attack by Houthi Militia Off Yemen |website=navyrecognition.com |date=31 January 2017 |accessdate=27 June 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://defense-watch.com/2017/02/05/photos-saudi-al-madinah-class-frigate-targeted-houthis-arrives-jeddah/ |title=Photos: Saudi Al Madinah-class frigate which was targeted by Houthis arrives to Jeddah |website=defense-watch.com |date=5 February 2017 |accessdate=27 June 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802104222/http://defense-watch.com/2017/02/05/photos-saudi-al-madinah-class-frigate-targeted-houthis-arrives-jeddah/ |archive-date=2 August 2017}}
Citations
{{reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |editor-last=Gardiner |editor-first=Robert |title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |year=1995 |publisher=Conway Maritime |location=London |isbn= 0-85177-605-1 |oclc=34284130}} Also published as {{cite book |last=Gardiner |first=Robert |author2=Chumbley, Stephen |author3=Budzbon, Przemysław |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |year=1995 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=1-55750-132-7 |oclc=34267261}}