The Ministry of Defense of Saudi Arabia reported that on October 25, 2022 in Jeddah, the Saudi Navy commissioned its Western Fleet (on the Red Sea) the lead 22.35-meter patrol boat of the FPB 2200 project (tail number "084") built by the French company Couach.
The ceremony of the entry into the Saudi Arabian Navy of the lead patrol boat of the FPB 2200 project (tail number "084") built by the French company Couach. Jeddah, 10/25/2022 (c) Ministry of Defense of Saudi ArabiaThe contract for the construction of 12 patrol boats of the new FPB 2200 project was issued by the Saudi side to the Couach company in 2019.
The construction of the boats is carried out at the company's shipyard in Gujean-Mestras on the Atlantic coast of France (Gironde department). The lead boat (tail number "084") was launched on November 19, 2021, has been tested in France since the beginning of 2022, was delivered to Saudi Arabia on a transport vessel in June and is now commissioned. Delivery of the remaining boats under the terms of the contract is planned for one per month, the second and third built boats (tail numbers "086" and "088") were sent to Saudi Arabia in August.
The boats of the FPB 2200 project have a composite structure made by infusion, a composite material of Couach's own design is used, consisting of fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar. The displacement of the boat empty is 51 tons, the length is 22.35 meters, the width is 5.6 meters and the draft is less than 1.35 meters. The two-shaft power plant includes two MTU diesel engines with a capacity of 1200 hp each, driving two propellers. The boat can reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and a cruising speed of 12 knots. The fuel reserve is 7 thousand liters, the cruising range is 600 miles at a speed of 28 knots, the autonomy is five days. The crew is 8 people.
A feature of this type of boats being built for the Saudi Arabian Navy is their equipment in the aft part with a 12-charge launcher of the shipboard version of the South Korean Bigung (Poniard) missile system using 70 mm K-LOGIR light guided missiles (with infrared homing heads) manufactured by LIG Nex1 (as part of the LG group). These missile systems are already being installed on boats in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the boats are equipped with two remotely controlled combat modules manufactured by the South African company Dynateq International - a 20-mm Sea Rogue in the bow and a 12.7-mm Rogue Lite in the stern - as well as two 12.7-mm machine guns on manual turrets on the superstructure. The Nexeya combat control system (Hensoldt Group) and the Thales group communications complex, including a satellite communication station (the antenna of which is located in a large envelope on the mast), have been installed.
Earlier, the Couach company fulfilled a record contract for itself in 2015 (as a subcontractor of the German Lürssen group), having handed over 79 high-speed 16.5-meter interceptor boats of the 1650 FIC project in 2016-2018 to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia. Now the company is also fulfilling an order for the construction of 22 high-speed 14-meter interceptor boats of the 1400 FIC project for Oman.
The ceremony of the entry into the Saudi Arabian Navy of the lead patrol boat of the FPB 2200 project (tail number "084") built by the French company Couach. Jeddah, 10/25/2022 (c) Saudi Press AgencyThe lead patrol boat of the FPB 2200 project built by the French company Couach for the Saudi Arabian Navy (tail number "084") during tests in France, May 2022 (c) Michel Floch
The second and third patrol boats of the FPB 2200 project built by the French company Couach for the Saudi Arabian Navy (tail numbers "086" and "088") during tests in France, August 2022 (with) Michel Floch and Vincent Groizeleau
The appearance of the FPB 2200 (c) Couach and NavalNews patrol boats being built by the French company Couach for the Saudi Arabian Navy
