Riyadh, 3 October 2019: SAMI Navantia Naval Industries (SAMINavantia), a joint venture between Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Navantia S.A., announced the launch of construction for the first of five Avante 2200 corvettes with an official ceremony in Cadiz, Spain. The vessels are being built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) at Navantias San Fernando shipyard and are to be delivered by 2023.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Saudi Arabian government and RSNF personnel led by Rear Admiral Faleh Abdulrahman Alfaleh, Deputy Commander of the Western Navy.
As well as Dr. Andreas Schwer, CEO of SAMI, Susana de Sarri, Chairwoman of Navantia S.A., Mr. Antonio Rodriguez-Barberan, CEO of SAMINavantia. The construction of the vessels is one of the key components of the joint venture agreement established between SAMI and Navantia.

Todays event marks a major milestone in our collaboration with Navantia as we endeavor to further strengthen the Royal Saudi Naval Forces outstanding maritime capabilities through the manufacture of these five state-of-the-art vessels. This project represents a proof of concept for His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmans vision for the localization of 50% of military equipment spending by 2030. comments Dr. Andreas Schwer, CEO of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI)

By working together, SAMI and Navantia will boost the local content through the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs in Saudi Arabia, accelerate the transfer of technology, and contribute to the Kingdoms ambitious goals of building the indigenous military and defense industries. Dr. Schwer added.

SAMINavantia will provide Combat System Integration (CSI) and installation as part of a landmark contract worth over 900 million signed at DSEI 2019 in September. In addition to the construction of the vessels, the Avante 2200 project will also incorporate Life Cycle Support for five years from the delivery of the first vessel, with an option for an additional five years. The joint venture is also responsible for system engineering and architecture; hardware design; software development, testing and verification; prototyping, simulation and modeling; and the delivery of logistical support and training programs.

The five-year project will create job opportunities for 6,000 people, including 1,100 direct employees, more than 3,000 indirect employees generated by other suppliers, and over 1,800 employees of the Auxiliary Industry of Navantia. The fourth and fifth corvettes will be finalized and delivered within Saudi Arabia, contributing to the development of the Kingdoms defense ecosystem through the transfer of technology and creation of new career opportunities. The agreement has the potential to boost the localization of the Kingdoms technology capabilities by up to 60%, in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The five Avante 2200 corvettes are being specially designed to meet RSNF requirements, including the capability to operate in the extreme temperatures found in the region. The multirole vessel is designed specifically for surveillance and maritime control, search and rescue, and providing assistance to other vessels during missions.

About Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI):

Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) launched in May 2017, is a state-owned military industries company working under the directives outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030. Aiming to be among the top 25 military industries companies in the world by 2030, SAMI is expected to play a key role in localizing 50% of the Kingdoms total government military spending.

SAMI is combining the latest technologies and the best national talents to develop military products and services at par with international standards across five business divisions Aeronautics, Land Systems, Naval Systems, Weapons and Missiles, and Defense Electronics. The company is also focused on increasing exports and bringing foreign investment to the Kingdoms military industries sector.

For more information, visit www.sami.com.sa or e-mail us at info@sami.com.sa