Albanian Navy orders Nexter turrets for patrol boats

The Albanian Navy has contracted Nexter for the delivery of remotely operated 20mm Narwhal naval turrets.

The NATO country will use the turrets to upgrade its Stan 4207 patrol vessels which have been in service with the Albanian Navy since 2008.

Under the contract, Nexter will provide four of the systems to the Albanian Navy. The first two systems will be delivered at the end of 2017 with the following two in the second half of 2018.

The contract also covers the supply of associated 20mm ammunition, produced by Nexter Munitions, and maintenance equipment.

Narwhal turrets are already used on French and Egyptian FREMM frigates, French Mistral class vessels and Lebanese Navy patrol boats. It will be also fitted to the French Navy’s patrol boats (Guyanese PLG light patrol craft) and on the Horizon-class frigates.

Olivier Travert, Nexter’s export sales director, commented: “Albania is the third foreign navy to equip itself with Narwhal turrets, thus confirming the system’s ability to perform across a broad range of critical missions.”