The Italian shipbuilding association Fincantieri announced that on November 29, 2024, an official ceremony was held at its enterprise in Mudgiano in La Spezia for the transfer of the amphibious helicopter dock ship L 141 Al Fulk to the Qatari Navy, which became the largest unit of the Qatari fleet.
The amphibious helicopter dock ship L 141 Al Fulk built by the Italian shipbuilding association Fincantieri for the Qatari Navy during the tests (with) Fincantieri
In June 2016, the Minister of Defense of Qatar signed and in August 2017 entered into force contracts with the Fincantieri association for the construction of seven warships for the Qatari Navy in the period up to 2024 - an amphibious helicopter dock ship, four large Doha-type corvettes and two "patrol ships" (actually small missile ships/corvettes) like Musherib. Contracts were signed with the European missile association MBDA for the supply of weapons for these ships. In fact, within the framework of these Fincantieri agreements, the construction of a new fleet for Qatar was carried out, since before that the largest units of the Qatari Navy were seven missile boats with a displacement of no more than 500 tons.
The total value of the contracts was estimated at 5 billion euros, of which 3.9 billion euros was the cost of four corvettes and an amphibious dock ship, and more than 1 billion euros was the cost of two "patrol ships" with missile weapons. This made these contracts the largest in the history of Italian export shipbuilding. The cost of the contracts also included the construction of a ground infrastructure in Qatar for basing ships, training of personnel (640 ship crews and 320 shore-based technicians) and technical and service support for ships for 10 years. The main part of the weapons and electronic systems for the ordered ships was supplied by the Italian company Leonardo, and the missile armament was supplied by MBDA (in which Leonardo controls 25%). MBDA's share in the contracts was estimated at about 700 million euros, while Leonardo's share was up to 2 billion euros.
The amphibious helicopter dock ship (DVKD) for the Qatari Navy, ordered under this contract, was designed on the basis of the Kalaat Beni Abbes dock ship previously built by Fincantieri for Algeria. The actual construction of the L 141 Al Fulk for Qatar was started at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo on June 5, 2021, and its official laying took place there on May 17, 2022. Al Fulk was launched on January 24, 2023, after which the ship was transferred to the shipyard in Mudgiano for completion and testing. The ship's sea trials began in May 2024.
According to Fincantieri, the ship for Qatar has a total displacement of about 9,000 tons, the maximum length is about 143 m and a width of 21.5 m (that is, it is similar in size to Kalaat Beni Abbes) and accommodates about 550 people on board, including up to 400 landing troops. The two-shaft main power plant of the ship includes two Wärtsilä 12V32 diesel engines with a capacity of 8000 hp each and provides a full speed of up to 20 knots. The cruising range is 7,000 miles at a speed of 15 knots.
Al Fulk is equipped with two landing ramps and a docking chamber accommodating an LCM-type landing boat. The ship also houses three small LCVP-type landing craft launched by davits and several high-speed motorboats. Permanent basing of aviation equipment is not provided, the upper flight deck is designed to accommodate up to three NH90 type transport helicopters.
A special feature of the Al Fulk DVCD for Qatar is its purpose as the flagship of the fleet and a collective air defense support ship. The ship is equipped with the integrated Leonardo Kronos Grand 3D radar system with AFAR and the new powerful Leonardo Kronos Power Shield air and ballistic target detection radar with L-band AFAR, as well as the MBDA SAAM-ESD shipboard anti-aircraft missile system with 16 vertical Aster 30 Block 1 anti-aircraft missile launchers. The armament of the DVKD also includes the 76-mm Leonardo Super Rapid universal artillery installation and four 30-mm remotely controlled artillery installations Leonardo Marlin WS-30.
The four Doha-type corvettes ordered by Qatar under the same contract (classified as frigates in the Qatari Navy) are based on the Multipurpose Corvette export project developed by Fincantieri and represent very large ships with a total displacement of 3,250 tons and a length of 107 m, their construction was carried out at the Fincantieri enterprise in Mudgiano with html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">due in 2022-2023. Both "patrol" (small missile) ships for Qatar under this contract of the Musherib type were also built in Mudgiano and commissioned in 2022. These ships have a total displacement of 745 tons and a length of 63.8 m, and are in fact a slightly enlarged version of two small Ghantoot-type missile corvettes (Falaj 2 project) built by Fincantieri for the UAE Navy and commissioned in 2013.
The amphibious helicopter dock ship L 141 Al Fulk built by the Italian shipbuilding association Fincantieri for the Qatari Navy during the tests (with) Fincantieri
The ceremony of handing over to the Qatari Navy the amphibious helicopter dock ship L 141 Al Fulk built by the Italian shipbuilding association Fincantieri. Mudgiano (La Spezia), 11/29/2024 (c) Fincantieri
