Watch the Egyptian Navy’s first Gowind corvette sail for sea trials

The first of four Egyptian Navy’s Gowind 2500 corvettes, ENS El-Fateh, started its sea trials on March 13, French shipbuilder DCNS announced.

DCNS also released a video showing the corvette leaving the shipyard in Lorient to start its trials.

According to French news site Mer et Marine, the vessel was supposed to return from sea trials on March 17 but was forced to return earlier due to minor propulsion issues.

ENS El-Fateh is the first Gowind corvette and the only one to be built in France. Other three units will be built by Egypt’s Alexandria Shipyard which cut the first steel on the second corvette on April 16, 2016.

The contract between the Egyptian Navy and DCNS includes an option for two more ships.

“The sea trials of the Gowind 2500 corvette once again illustrate DCNS’ industrial capacity to manage and realize major programs with products meeting the needs of our customers,” said Pierre Legros, DCNS Senior Vice-President Programs. “The first Gowind® 2500 corvette is being built on the DCNS site in Lorient, France, one of the most modern naval shipyards in Europe. Nine other corvettes are to be built in Egypt and Malaysia, on the basis of technology transfer realized by DCNS.”

The Malaysian Navy has ordered six Gowind corvettes, which will be built locally, with technical assistance from DCNS provided by the Malaysian Boustead Naval Shipyard.

The first Malaysian vessel is being finalized and the keel laying of the second vessel was completed at the Boustead Naval Shipyard in Lumut on February 28.

The Gowind is a 102 -meter ship with a displacement of 2,500 tonnes. The steel monohull vessels incorporate the SETIS multi-mission combat management system already in use by the FREMM frigates.