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Abu Dhabi Corvettes
May 7, 2007: Abu Dhabi is building three Baynunah class
patrol boats, and has three more on order. The ships are being built in France,
after ten years of research, development and negotiation. Thus ships displace
900 tons, which would make them "corvettes" in many navies. They are 236 feet
long, 36 feet wide and can operate in very shallow water (as little as ten feet
deep). Top speed is 56 kilometers an
hour. The ships can stay out for two weeks at a time, covering 4,400 kilometers
at cruising speed of 27 kilometers an hour. The crew of 45 includes an eight
man contingent for the AS565 Panther helicopter. Armament includes a 76mm gun,
two 30mm automatic cannon, eight Exocet anti-ship and eight Evolved Sea Sparrow
anti-aircraft missiles. The ship can also carry mines. In addition to radar,
the ship has a sonar for detecting underwater obstacles, as well as some types
of mines. The first ship won't be launched until 2009, and will probably enter
service in 2010. An additional ship will enter service every year thereafter
until all are delivered. Each ship costs about $130 million. While these ships
will spend most of their time assisting ships in the busy Persian Gulf, they
will also hunt down smugglers. If there's a war, the likely opponent will be
Iran, which has a surface fleet of inferior (to the Baynunahs) ships.
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