Saudi Arabia's military capabilities received a boost on Tuesday with the official launch of the corvette "Onaiza" at the King Faisal Naval Base in Jeddah. The ceremony, presided over by Lt. General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff, marked the completion of the fifth and final vessel constructed under the Sarawat project – a large-scale initiative to modernize the Royal Saudi Navy's fleet.
The Onaiza, classified as an Avante 2200 corvette, is the latest addition to the growing arsenal of the Saudi navy. Vice Admiral Fahad Bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, highlighted the significance of the ship during the launch ceremony. He emphasized how the Onaiza, along with its sister vessels, would significantly enhance maritime security in the region and serve as a powerful deterrent against potential threats to the Kingdom's strategic interests.
The Avante 2200 corvette class boasts an array of cutting-edge combat systems designed to address a variety of threats on the open seas. These advanced systems include weaponry capable of countering aerial, surface, and subsurface dangers. The corvette is also equipped with robust electronic warfare capabilities, bolstering its defensive measures in a technologically-driven combat landscape.
The Sarawat project represents a significant step forward in Saudi Arabia's efforts to modernize its naval fleet. The collaboration with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has not only yielded five technologically-advanced corvettes but has also fostered the development of indigenous capabilities. The project has demonstrably led to the creation of the first-ever Saudi-made combat management system, known as "Hazem." This domestically produced system, integrated onto the Onaiza, performs critical functions such as combat management, communication integration, fire control, and crew training – essentially the central nervous system of a modern warship.
The addition of the Onaiza and its preceding sister vessels strengthens the Royal Saudi Navy's ability to patrol and secure the Kingdom's extensive coastline along the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, and the Persian Gulf. This enhanced maritime security is vital for safeguarding the free flow of trade through these strategic waterways, which are crucial for the global economy, particularly the oil and gas industry.
The launch of the Onaiza signifies Saudi Arabia's commitment to maintaining a robust and technologically advanced naval force. This commitment is likely to play a key role in ensuring regional stability and protecting the Kingdom's strategic interests in the years to come.