NAVDEX 2021: ADSB awarded contract with UAE Navy to build Falaj 3-class offshore patrol vessels.

 According to a press release published by ADSB, the regional leader in the new build, repair, maintenance, refit and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, was today awarded an AED3.5 billion contract by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UAE Navy, to build four Falaj 3-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

Model on the ADSB stand

The new contract is the largest-ever order received by ADSB and reinforces the company's vision of becoming the leading regional shipyard through delivering innovative and dependable solutions that add value to clients and other stakeholders, both military and civilian.

Running one of the most advanced shipyards in the Middle East, ADSB operates three main naval programmes: corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and fast patrol boats. The company also offers a full range of maintenance, repair and refit, upgrade and conversion, as well as engineering consultancy services.

With core technical expertise in marine and naval project management, ADSB previously built the UAE Navy’s Baynunah-class corvettes, the last of which was delivered in 2017. The Falaj-3 class is a highly flexible and versatile offshore patrol vessel used to carry out a wide range of missions, from patrol and surveillance operations over attacks against targets at sea. The vessels have stealth geometry to ensure reduced radar detect ability.

The Falaj 2 class (previous class) are patrol boats of the United Arab Emirates Navy classified as stealth inshore patrol vessels (IPVs).

The Falaj 2 class is based on the Italian Diciotti-class offshore patrol vessel, in use with the Italian Coast Guard. The Diciotti class is based itself on the earlier experimental Saettia class, a missile attack boat demonstrator designed and built by Fincantieri. The specifications require a highly flexible and versatile vessel to carry out a wide range of missions, from patrol and surveillance operations over attacks against both targets at sea and on land in national and international scenarios up to self-defence against threats from the air or surface. A special feature of the vessels is their particular stealth geometry to ensure their reduced radar detect ability.