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Corvette - Assad Al Bihar C412
In the mid-70s, the Italian company Fincantieri designed a class of Corvettes called “Tipo 550” (the name is given by their minimum displacement) the project included three basic versions: standard, multi-role and fast attack. These corvettes intended for export, built and designed by the Italian shipbuilding industry had a notable success, due to their versatility, in fact the customer could choose both the engine and the armament. The main buyers of these units were Libya, Ecuador, (Iraq) and Malaysia. Libya from 1977 to 1981 purchased four of this type of Corvettes originally called “Wadi M’ragh Class” later renamed “Al-Assad Class” (Assad Al Bihar C412, Assad Al Tougour C413, Assad Al Kalij C414, Assad Al Hudud C415). These units are characterized by an internal hull compartmentalization divided by ten bulkheads with the possibility of having three adjacent flooded compartments. A system of non-retractable fixed fins allows to reduce the roll from 30 to 3 degrees, with benefits for the crew and for the on-board sensors. The engine system is composed of four MTU 16V956 TB91 diesel engines of 16,400 hp in total, which could push the units to a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h). The armament is composed of an Oto Melara 76/62mm compact gun, a twin Oto-Melara/Oerlikon 35/90mm KDC Gun (GDM-C Version - is gyrostabilized), four single OtoMat Mk1 SSM launchers, two ASW TT triple torpedo launchers, for 324mm light torpedoes, two minelayer rails, for a total of sixteen mines. The electronic systems are quite complete, they are composed of a RADAR RAN-11LX, for combined air and surface detection, a RADAR Decca TM1226 for navigation and naval detection, two RADAR RTN-10X Orion for fire control (for the control of the 76/62mm compact gun at the bow, the control of the four OtoMat Mk1 SSM launchers, the control of the 35/90mm KDC Gun at the stern) are present at the bow and at the stern, there is also a Sonar Thomson-CSF Diodon. All the Corvettes of the “Al-Assad Class” have suffered a sad end, in fact they were abandoned due to lack of maintenance in 1993.
Specifications:
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Crew: Officers, Second Chiefs, Sergeants and Seamen: 58
Displacement Full load: 670 tons
Dimensions:
Length: 57,80m pp - 61,7m oa
Width: 9,30m
Full Load Draft: 2,70m
Engine System:
4 MTU 16V956 TB91 diesels
4 shafts
4 propellers
Power: 16400 hp / 12062 kW
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h)
Autonomy: 4150 NM (7686 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Armament:
1 x Oto Melara 76/62mm compact gun
1 x 2 Oto-Melara/Oerlikon 35/90mm KDC Gun (GDM-C Version - is gyrostabilized)
4 x 1 OtoMat Mk1 SSM
2 x ASW TT triple torpedo launchers for light torpedoes 324mm
16 Mines on 2 rails (as Minelayer)
Electronic equipments:
1 x RAN-11LX Air/Surface Discovery RADAR
1 x Decca TM1226 Navigation RADAR
2 x RTN-10X Orion Fire Direction RADAR
1 x EW Selenia ISN-1 Intercept
1 x Sonar Thomson-CSF Diodon
Photos:
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Note the Italian Navy flag hoisted on the mainmast, this is because the photos were taken during the trials in Italy.
Sources:
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Classe 550 - Wikipedia
WADI M'RAGH missile corvettes (1979-1981)
Italy / Switzerland 30 mm/54 (1.2") AK-630 - NavWeaps
Otomat anti-ship missile (Mk1,Mk2,Mk3) | Missilery.info
Books
Naval Institute Press: Combat fleets of the world - their ships, aircraft, and armament 1988/89 - Jean Labayle Couhat
Naval Institute Press: Combat fleets of the world - their ships, aircraft, and armament 1990/91 - Bernard Prezelin