RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Defense signed on Tuesday an executive agreement with the Spanish Ministry of Defense to support the construction of three new multi-mission combat ships, capable of dealing with all air, surface and subsurface threats. The executive agreement was signed by the Chief of Staff of the Saudi Naval Forces Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Gharibi, and Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy Lt. Gen. Antonio Pinero Sanchez in a ceremony held in the Spanish capital Madrid. The agreement is also meant for enhancing cooperation in the field of training, exchange of expertise, and technical and logistical support for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, as part of the "Sarawat Project" expansion contract, the first phase of which was completed with the construction and delivery of five combat ships. The agreement aims to expand the joint cooperation between the two ministries of defense for the benefit of the "Sarawat Project" of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, through construction and supply of three additional combat ships of the "Corvette Avante 2200" type. These new capabilities will contribute to raising the readiness of the naval forces to defend Saudi Arabia and protect its vital and strategic interests, as well as to enhance maritime security in the region, and achieve the goals of the National Defense Strategy in accordance with the "Vision 2030." The agreement stipulates the provision of technical support by the Spanish Navy during the three stages of ship construction, the implementation of inspection and testing work, the evaluation of systems, and cooperation in the field of academic and practical training for the crews of the second group of "Avante 2200" ships, in addition to operational and tactical training during sailing after the delivery and launching of the ships to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. It is noteworthy that the three additional ships are similar in terms of technical and combat specifications to the five "Sarawat Project" ships that were delivered to the Navy in the first phase of the project, in addition to their ability to deal with all air, surface, and subsurface threats as they are equipped with the latest combat and engineering systems.
