ENS Luxor

ENS Luxor (986) is the fourth ship of Egyptian Gowind-class corvette of the Egyptian Navy.

Gowind-class corvette
History
Egypt
Name:
  • Luxor
  • (الأقصر)
Namesake: Luxor
Builder: Alexandria Shipyard, Alexandria
Laid down: 2019
Launched: 14 May 2020
Identification: Pennant number: 986
Status: Fitting out
General characteristics
Class and type: Gowind-class corvette
Displacement: 2,500 tons
Length: 102 m (334 ft 8 in) - 111 m (364 ft 2 in)
Propulsion: CODAD
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range: 3,700 nmi (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance: 21 days
Complement: 65 + 15 Special forces
Sensors and
processing systems:
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • VIGILE 200 Tactical R-ESM System
  • ALTESSE Naval C-ESM
Armament:
Aircraft carried:
Aviation facilities: Hanger and helipad

Development and design
Main article: Gowind-class design

In 2014, Egypt signed a €1bn contract with Naval Group to buy four Gowind 2,500-ton corvettes with an option for two more. Separately, MBDA negotiated a contract to equip the ships with MICA vertical launch air-defense missiles and MM40 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missiles, together worth an additional 400 million euros, while Naval Group negotiated a 100–200 million euro contract for torpedoes.[1] Three of the corvettes are to be built locally by Alexandria Shipyardwithin a technology transfer agreement. It was apparently President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who decided these were the ships he wanted rather than the Meko A200 being offered by German group ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) or the Sigma corvette proposed by Damen of the Netherlands.[2][3] Egypt is in talks with France to acquire another two Gowind corvettes which, if ordered, would be produced by France in Lorient.[4][5]

In April 2015, Naval Group started cutting metal for the very first Gowind 2500 corvette, with a planned construction period of 29 months. It is the first of a series of four units that will be delivered to Egypt before 2019. The corvette's first block was laid in the dry dock in September 2015.[6] Naval Group celebrated the launch of the first Egyptian Gowind corvette El Fateh at the Lorient naval shipyard in September 2016. El Fateh successfully concluded its first sea trials by the end of March 2017.[7] The Egyptian Navy took delivery of the vessel in September 2017, three years after the order was placed.[8]

Construction and career

Luxor was laid down in 2019 and launched on 14 May 2020 by Alexandria Shipyard in Alexandria.

References
  1. "DCNS Confirms Sale of 10 Gowind Corvettes, Expects More". defense-aerospace.com. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  2. Cabirol, Michel (15 September 2014). "Armement : nouveaux clins d'oeil de l'Egypte à la France". La Tribune (in French). Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  3. Mackenzie, Christina (6 June 2014). "Egypt buys four Gowind corvettes". Aviation Week. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  4. Cabirol, Michel (22 September 2015). "Les Egyptiens sont à Paris pour négocier l'achat des deux Mistral" [Egyptians are in Paris to negotiate the purchase of two Mistral]. La Tribune (in French). Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  5. "Diplomat: France Is In Talks With Egypt For New Corvette Sale". defensenews.com. Agence France-Presse. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  6. @navalgroup (30 September 2015). "The future Egyptian #Gowind corvette is taking shape at DCNS Lorient" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 August 2020 – via Twitter.
  7. "The first Gowind®2500 by DCNS succeeds in the beginning of its sea trials" (Press release). Naval Group. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  8. "Naval Group Delivers the First Gowind®2500 Corvette, ENS Elfateh, to the Egyptian Navy" (Press release). Naval Group. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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