Saudi frigate Makkah

Makkah (814) is an Al Riyadh-class frigate of the Royal Saudi Navy.

Makkah at Toulon in 2005
History
Saudi Arabia
Name
  • Makkah
  • (مكة المكرمة)
NamesakeMakkah
BuilderDirection des Constructions Navales (DCNS), Lorient
Laid down8 August 2000
Launched20 July 2001
Commissioned3 April 2004
HomeportKing Faisal Naval Base
IdentificationPennant number: 814
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeAl Riyadh-class frigate
Displacement4,700 tonnes
Length133 m (436 ft 4 in)
Beam15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
Draught4.1 m (13 ft 5 in)
Propulsion4 diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, 21,000 hp (16,000 kW)
Speed24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)
Range7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi)
Endurance50 days of food
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × ETN boats
Capacity350 tonnes of fuel, 80 m3 (2,800 cu ft) of kerosene, 60 tonnes of potable water
Complement
  • 12 officers
  • 68 petty officers
  • 61 men
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
  • 1 × DRBN34 landing radar
  • 1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
  • 1 × firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
  • 1 × CN2 firing control radar
  • 1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
  • 1 × ARBR 21 radar interceptor
  • 2 × Dagaie Mk2 AMGL-1C chaff launcher
  • 1 × AN/SLQ-25 Nixie tugged noise maker
  • 1 × Prairie-Masker noise reduction system
  • 1 × Integrated Shipboard Communication System ISCS (SNTI 120 ch.)
  • 1 × SEAO/OPSMER Naval command support system
  • 1 × Syracuse II satellite transmission system
  • 1 × Inmarsat navigation system
Armament
ArmourOn sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
Aircraft carried1 × helicopter (Panther or NH90)

Development and design

The frigate Makkah, is an expanded anti-air version of the French La Fayette class, displacing about 4,700 t (5,181 short tons) and extended to 133 m (436 ft 4 in) in length.[3]

The ships' combat system, produced by Armaris (a Direction des Constructions Navales/Thales Group joint venture), is armed with Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) launched from SYLVER vertical launchers (SYLVER - SYstème de Lancement VERtical). As with the La Fayette class, the primary offensive weapon is the anti-surface Exocet missile. The ships' main gun is the OTO Melara 76 mm super-rapid firing gun replacing the modèle 100 TR automatic gun of the La Fayette. There are also four aft-mounted 533 mm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes, firing DTCN F17 heavyweight anti-submarine torpedoes. Makkah is capable of a maximum speed of ~46 kilometres per hour (29 mph; 25 kn) with a maximum range of 13,000 kilometres (8,078 mi; 7,019 nmi).[3][4]

Construction and career

Makkah was launched on 20 July 2001 at the DCNS dockyard in Lorient and commissioned on 3 April 2004.

Al Riyadh-class frigates

Three Al Riyadh-class frigates have been built:

Al Riyadh (812)
the lead ship commissioned in 2002
Makkah (814)
commissioned in 2004
Al Dammam (816)
commissioned in 2004

References
  1. "Al Riyadh (F3000S Sawari II) Class - Naval Technology".
  2. "Al Riyadh (F3000S Sawari II) Class - Naval Technology".
  3. "Al Riyadh (F3000S Sawari II) Class, Saudi Arabia". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  4. "Al Riyadh (F3000S Sawari II) Class - Naval Technology". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
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