Maritime Security Vessel News Roundup | December 22 – Egyptian Navy frigate, US lake patrol boat and more

The Egyptian Navy acquires a new warship and a patrol workboat is handed over to a lake protection agency on the US East Coast. Construction is meanwhile underway on future surface combatants for the US and Spanish navies.

Egyptian Navy takes delivery of third Al-Aziz-class frigate

German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has delivered the third ship in a class of four frigates ordered by the Egyptian Navy.

ENS Al-Qadeer is a variant of the MEKO A-200 frigates that were originally developed by German defence firms for the export market. Missions will include anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, patrol, interdiction, and humanitarian response.

The ship has a length of 118 metres, a beam of 14.8 metres, a draught of 4.3 metres, and a crew complement of 220. The design guarantees significantly reduced radar, infrared, acoustic, and magnetic signatures to minimise the risk of detection.

Armament includes a 127mm naval gun, 30mm autocannons, 16 anti-ship missiles, and 32 surface-to-air missiles.

Connecticut lake patrol agency receives new workboat

Alabama boatbuilder Silver Ships recently handed over a new workboat to the Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA) in Sherman, Connecticut.

The CLA Marine Patrol’s workboat measures 20 feet (six metres) long and is powered by a Suzuki 300hp (223kW) outboard engine. The electronics suite includes a Teledyne FLIR thermal imaging camera and a Garmin electronics package consisting of radar and sonar.

The workboat is the second in a series of three ordered by CLA from Silver Ships.

Keel authenticated for US Navy destroyer George M. Neal

Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls’ Shipbuilding division recently held authenticated and laid the keel of the future US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS George M. Neal.

The destroyer honours the late George M. Neal, a former US Navy helicopter crewman and prisoner of war who was decorated for his actions during the Korean War.

The future George M. Neal is being built as an Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyer. The Flight III ships will incorporate a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability including the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and the Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System.

Construction starts on future Spanish Navy frigate

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has cut the first steel for the second of five F110-class frigates ordered by the Spanish Navy.

Once in service, the frigate will be used for escort and force projection missions. Armament will include those for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.

The F110-class ships are scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2029.