The United Arab Emirates has signed to buy two 55-meter-long stealthy patrol vessels from Italian shipyard Fincantieri, the firm said Jan. 22.
Delivery of the Navy vessels is scheduled in the second half of 2012 and the contract contains an option for two additional vessels, as well as technology transfer to an UAE shipyard.
Measuring 8.6 meters wide with a crew of 28, the vessels, to be known as Falaj 2, will exceed 20 knots, Fincantieri said.
In a separate statement, Selex Sistemi Integrati, a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica, said it would supply systems and integrate the vessels' combat systems, including IPN-S command-and-control systems, NA 30S fire control systems, KRONOS 3D radar systems and SIR-M secondary radar systems.
Finmeccanica unit Selex Communications will supply a secure communications system while Italy's Oto Melara, also part of Finmeccanica, will supply a full stealth version of the Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun.
No values were given for the contracts.
Last year, Fincantieri signed a 90 million euro ($126.8 million) deal to supply the UAE with an 88-meter-long, 1,650-ton, 25-knot corvette, with an option for a second vessel, to be developed from the Commandanti-class corvettes in service with the Italian Navy.