VESSEL REVIEW | Damsah – Second corvette in series delivered to Qatari Emiri Navy

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri recently handed over a new corvette to the Qatari Ministry of Defence for operation by the Qatari Emiri Navy.

QENS Damsah is the second of four corvettes in the Qatari Emiri Navy’s Doha-class, which is also known as the Al Zubarah-class after lead ship QENS Al Zubarah. The ships’ missions will include surface combat, sea surveillance, escort, general patrol, interdiction, and search and rescue.

Damsah has an LOA of 107 metres, a beam of 14.7 metres, a depth of 8.6 metres, and a displacement of 3,250 tonnes at full load. There is also space for 112 crewmembers and other personnel, a helicopter deck with hangar, and cranes and a stern ramp for the launch and recovery of rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for use in boardings and interceptions.

A combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion arrangement drives controllable-pitch propellers to deliver a maximum speed of 28 knots and a range of 3,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots. The extended range can translate into an endurance of 21 days.

Four diesel generators supply power for the onboard systems, which include a multi-mode radar, a combat management system, an identification friend or foe (IFF) interrogator and transponder, infrared search and tracking systems, electro-optical fire control systems, a towed sonar for detecting hostile torpedoes, and a sonar for avoiding both floating and submerged obstacles such as mines.

The armament consists of a Leonardo OTO Melara 76mm naval gun for dealing with surface threats and anti-ship missiles, Aister and RIM-116 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), Exocet anti-ship missiles, and two Leonardo Hitrole remote weapon stations that can be fitted with either machine guns of up to 12.7 mm calibre or automatic 40mm grenade launchers. A vertical launch system is fitted for use by the frigate’s SAM armament.

Design work on Damsah was done in compliance to RINAMIL rules.

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