Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has launched a future Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) Avante 2200 corvette at its Cadiz facilities.
The future Al-Madinah will be identical to the Avante 2200 units already in service with the RSNF. This particular ship is one of three that were ordered from Navantia by the Saudi Ministry of Defence in late 2024.
Navantia will be responsible for the delivery of the first unit in Spain and will finalise the second and third units in Saudi Arabia for the installation, integration and trials of the Hazem combat system to be done by SAMINavantia, similar to the works carried out on the fourth and fifth units of the earlier corvette contract.
Each ship in the class will be a multi-purpose platform specially designed for patrolling and monitoring of exclusive economic zone waters, maritime traffic surveillance and control missions, search and rescue missions and assistance to other vessels, among others.
The third and final corvette in this second batch is scheduled to be delivered to the RSNF by 2029.