France, UAE conclude Gowind corvette negotiations

French shipbuilder Naval Group has concluded negotiations for the construction of two Gowind corvettes for the United Arab Emirates Navy.

The deal is estimated to be worth around €750 million (US $850 million) and has options for an additional two units in the class.

The contract signing was first reported by Intelligence Online and subsequently confirmed by a number of publications.

Naval Group is yet to confirm the conclusion of the negotiation process.

The formal contract follows an announcement made by French president Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Dubai in November 2017.

The corvettes are turning into an export success for the French shipbuilder as it has already supplied Gowind ships to the Egyptian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Versions built so far range from 102 to 111 meters and displace between 2,600 and 3,000 tons.

Egyptian corvettes are equipped with a 76mm Oto Melara gun, vertical launch cells for MBDA’s MICA missile and torpedo launchers.

Gowind will be the Royal Malaysian Navy’s prime surface combatant and will carry the Kongsberg-built Naval Strike Missile, MBDA’s VL MICA missiles, a Bofors 57mm Mk3 gun in a stealth casing and an automated MSI Seahawk 30mm gun. For anti-submarine warfare, the ships will be fitted with J+S torpedo launcher systems.