DEFENCEWEB
Alexandria Shipyard has launched the Egyptian Navy’s first locally built Meko A200 frigate, the fourth overall for the North African nation.
The Al-Jabbar was launched on December 4, 2023, with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi attending the ceremony.
Alexandria Shipyard said manufacture and assembly of the first Meko A200 took two years. Egypt has positioned itself among the few countries to manufacture large military vessels, it said. “Today we celebrate the inauguration and launching of the first Meko A200 stealth frigate by 100% Egyptian hands.”
The shipyard added that “the launching and sailing of Egyptian frigates are now an undeniable reality, underscoring that Egypt is advancing full throttle … to boost the Egyptian position in the field of military production, meeting international standards by Egyptian hands.”
Egypt ordered four structurally identical vessels from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, with the first three units being produced in Germany and the fourth vessel built in Egypt. The contract was signed in September 2018.
ThyssenKrupp handed over the second Meko A200, Al-Qahhar, in May 2023 after work began in December 2019. The first-of-class ship Al-Aziz was handed over in October 2022. The third frigate was launched in April 2022.
Each of Egypt’s new Meko frigates is 121 meters long with a top speed of 29 knots. The four Meko frigates ultimately will replace the aging Oliver Hazard Perry-class vessels that compose the bulk of the Egyptian Navy’s escort fleet.