Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) in Wisconsin has launched the first unit in a new class of warships ordered by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF).
The future HMS Saud and her sisters will be designated as "multi-mission surface combatants" (MMSCs). They are variants of the Freedom-class littoral combat ships (LCS) that Lockheed Martin and FMM built for the US Navy from 2005 to 2025.
Upon completion, the MMSCs will each have a length of 118 metres, a beam of 17.6 metres, a draught of 4.3 metres, a maximum displacement of approximately 3,600 tonnes, a crew of 100, and a combined diesel and gas arrangement of two gas turbines and two diesel engines.
Their armament will consist of Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes.
FMM is building four MMSCs for the RSNF. Deliveries of the ships were originally scheduled to commence in 2023.
Unlike the Freedom-class LCS, the MMSCs will not feature modular construction and will instead boast permanently installed weapons and systems.
