UAE’s Baynunah corvette modified for RAM missile
Richard Scott
Contracts have been placed with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and French shipbuilder Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) to modify the design of the UAE Naval Forces’ new Baynunah corvettes to enable the installation of the Raytheon Missile Systems Mk 31 Mod 1 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) inner-layer missile system.
Six 72m Baynunah vessels have been ordered by the UAE Armed Forces General Headquarters, with ADSB prime contractor for the Dh3billion programme. As strategic partner, design agent and principal subcontractor for the programme, CMN is building the first-of-class corvette and is delivering a technology transfer package for the follow-on vessels to be constructed by ADSB at its shipyard in Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah industrial area.
RAM was not part of the original Baynunah combat system baseline. However, last year the UAE General Headquarters and the UAE Naval Forces decided to add the latest RAM Block 1 system to provide the ships with an additional layer of self-defence.
A single 21-round Mk 49 Mod 3 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) will be fitted atop the ships’ hangar roof. The RIM-116B missile associated with RAM Block 1 features passive radio frequency/ infrared (RF/IR) dual-mode guidance, and incorporates the capability for autonomous IR-all-the-way guidance.
A contract amendment for the integration of RAM was signed with ADSB in late December, with ADSB concurrently concluding a contract amendment with CMN for the substantial configuration modification activities associated with bringing the system aboard. CMN had in fact begun work some months ago to establish the ship fit for the Mk 49 GMLS and introduce the necessary changes to an already mature design. This has required significant changes to equipment installation in the aft superstructure area.
The design amendments consequent of the addition of RAM have required some rework on the first-of-class, which has in turn required some rescheduling of the Baynunah construction programme. CMN now expects to launch the lead ship at Cherbourg in 2008, with acceptance following in 2009.The keel of the second ship of the class, and the first to be built by ADSB, was laid down on 5 July last year. Steel cutting on the third Baynunah vessel began at ADSB on the same day.
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