DRAMMEN, February 6, 2010

L-3 Valmarine, Drammen, has been awarded a contract by Abu Dhabi Systems Integration (ADSI) covering delivery of integrated bridge control systems for 12 Ghannatha-class fast patrol vessels under construction for the UAE Navy. The main role of the vessels will be patrol, surveillance, interception and anti-surface warfare operations within UAE’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB), prime contractor for the program together with SwedeShip Marine as its design partner and main sub-contractor, is building the majority of the new 26.5m vessels. It is also upgrading a further 12 existing Ghannatha-class high-speed troop-carrying craft built to the same configuration.

The first three patrol vessels are being built by SwedeShip at its yard near Gothenburg while ADSB will complete the remainder. Swedeship will also retrofit the first of the troop-carrying craft, with ADSB completing the other 11 in Abu Dhabi.

The vessels are being fitted with navigation equipment from a number of L-3 associated companies. Apart from IBS units from L-3 Valmarine, SAM Electronics will provide doppler logs for all 24 ships while supplying X-band radars for the 12 retrofits. Meanwhile, L-3 ELAC Nautik in Kiel is to deliver echosounders for all vessels.

L-3 Valmarine’s IBS is a smaller version of systems developed for the UAE Navy’s new Baynunah-class corvettes. It includes interfaces to a combat management system (CMS) from SELEX Sistemi Integrati and medium light gun (MLG) facilities from Rheinmetall. L-3 Valmarine has also been commissioned to develop Warship AIS (WAIS) and Warship Ecdis (WECDIS) solutions for the program.

The UAE Navy is scheduled to take delivery of the vessels beginning in 2011 and concluding in 2015.