Badr-class corvette

The Badr class is a class of corvette built by the United States and operated by the Saudi Navy. The class has been relegated to a coastal defence role following the modernisation of the Saudi fleet. There are four vessels in service; Badr, Al Yarmook, Hitteen and Tabuk.

Saudi Arabian missile corvette Badr (612) during integration exercise in the Persian Gulf
Class overview
Name: Badr class
Builders: Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Tacoma, Washington, United States
Operators:  Royal Saudi Navy
In commission: 1981-present
Building: 4
Completed: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: Corvette
Displacement: 1,038 tons
Length: 245 ft (75 m)
Beam: 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
Draught: 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Installed power: 1 GE LM-2500 gas turbine
Propulsion: 2 MTU 12V652 TB91 diesels
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 75
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radars
    • Lockheed SPS-40B (Air search)
    • ISC Cardion SPS-55 (surface search)
    • Sperry Mk 92 (fire control)
  • Sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 SQ-32(V)1 ESM
Armament:

Design

In January 1972, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the United States to set up a 10-year programme to greatly enlarge the Saudi Navy, previously a small coastal patrol force. The programme envisaged the construction in the United States of a series of corvettes as well as other warships such as minesweepers and amphibious warfare ships.[1][2] As part of this programme, on 30 August 1977, an order was placed with the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company of Tacoma, Washington for 4 missile-armed corvettes, with delivery expected between 1980 and 1981.[2][3]

The four ships, at first known by the US-Navy style designation of "PCG", and later as the Badr-class, are 74.68 metres (245 ft 0 in) long overall, with a beam of 9.60 metres (31 ft 6 in) and a draught of 2.59 metres (8 ft 6 in).[4] Displacement was intended as 720 long tons (730 t),[2] but the ships were completed significantly overweight, and were recorded as displacing 903 long tons (917 t) standard and 1,038 long tons (1,055 t) full load in 1995.[3] They are powered by one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine rated at 23,000 shaft horsepower (17,000 kW) and two MTU 12V625 TB91 diesel engines (rated at a total of 3,058 brake horsepower (2,280 kW)) in a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) arrangement, driving two controllable pitch propellers. This gives a maximum speed of 30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h) when using the gas turbine and 21 knots (24 mph; 39 km/h) on the diesels. The ships have a range of 4,000 nautical miles (4,600 mi; 7,400 km) at 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h).[4]

Principal anti-ship armament consists of eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles, with a gun armament of a single OTO Melara 76 mm gun forward, one Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapon system (CIWS) aft, two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, an 81 mm mortar, and two 40 mm Mk 19 grenade launchers. Anti-submarine armament consisted of two triple Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes for Mark 46 torpedoes. SPS-40B air search radar and SPS-55 navigation/surface search radars are carried, while a Mark 92 fire control radar is fitted above the ship's bridges. SQS-55 hull mounted sonar is carried to direct the ships' torpedo tubes.[4]

Ships
Name Pennant [4] Laid down[4] Launched[4] Commissioned[4] Notes
Badr61230 May 197926 January 198028 September 1981Originally PCG 1[4]
Al Yarmook61413 December 197913 May 198010 May 1982Originally PCG 2[4]
Hitteen61619 May 19805 September 198012 October 1982Originally PCG 3[4]
Tabuk61822 September 198018 June 198110 January 1983Originally PCG 4[4]

References
  1. Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 327
  2. Moore 1979, p. 420
  3. Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 329
  4. Baker 1998, p. 769

Bibliography
  • Baker, A. D., ed. (1998). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-111-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Moore, John, ed. (1979). Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–80. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-354-00587-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Watts, Anthony J. (2006). Jane's Warship Recognition Guide. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 258. ISBN 0-00-718327-5.
External image
Photo of RSN Badr (612)
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