Gowind-2500 class corvettes, designed for multi-purpose use by the French Naval Group Shipyard, are currently in active service with the Egyptian Navy. Gowind-2500 class corvettes will soon begin service in the BAE Navy. In August 2023, Romania canceled its 2019 contract with France for four Gowind-2500 corvettes due to financial and political reasons.
A different tonnage model of the Gowind-2500 class corvettes is in service with the Argentine Navy, and it will enter service with the Malaysian Navy.
In 2014, the Egyptian Navy signed a €1 billion Euro agreement with the French manufacturer Naval Group for the purchase of four Gowind-2500 class corvettes. The first corvette was built in France, while the other three were to be produced in Egypt through technology transfer. The Egyptian Navy also signed a €400 million Euro agreement for anti-ship and air defense missiles for the corvettes. In March 2019, the United Arab Emirates signed a €750 million Euro contract with France for two Gowind-2500 class corvettes.
The (971) ENS El Fateh corvette, production of which began in 2015, was delivered to the Egyptian Navy in 2019. The construction of the second corvette, (976) ENS Port Said, started at the Alexandria Shipyard in Egypt in 2016, and the ship was delivered to Egypt in 2021. Currently, the sea trials for the third and fourth ships of the class are ongoing and will be delivered to the Egyptian Navy soon.
The production of Gowind-2500 class corvettes in Egypt’s shipyards marked the first time a modern corvette was produced in the country through technology transfer. The achievements of the Egyptian Defense Industry in the corvette project are significant. Additionally, the Gowind class features a stealth (low radar visibility) hull design and modern weaponry, making it a valuable addition to the Egyptian Navy.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Naval Group & Alexandria Shipyard |
| Active | 2 |
| Under Construction | 4 |
| Length | 102 m (335 ft) |
| Width | 16 m |
| Displacement | 2500 tons (BAE ships 2800 tons) |
| Range | 3700 nautical miles at 15 knots |
| Speed | 25 knots |
| Main Propulsion | CODED, two 10 MW MTU diesel engines and two Leroy-Somer electric motors |
| Crew | 65 + 15 special operations personnel (BAE ship 95) |
| Aircraft | 1x 10-ton class helicopter and 1x unmanned helicopter |
| Additional Vehicles | 2 RIHB |
| Weapon Systems on Gowind-2500 Class: | |
|---|---|
| Gun | 1x Oto Melara 76/62 mm naval gun |
| Other Guns | 2x Nexter-produced 20 mm Nexter Narwhal remotely controlled weapon systems |
| Air Defence Systems | 16x VLS (20 km range, maximum altitude of 9.2 km) with 16x MICA VL air defense missiles |
| Anti-Ship Missiles | 8x MBDA-produced Exocet Block-3 anti-ship missiles |
| Torpedoes | 2x triple torpedo launchers |
| Point Defence Missile Systems | 1x RIM-116 (BAE ships) |
| Gowind-2500 Class Ships: | |
|---|---|
| Egyptian Navy: | |
| 1 | (971) ENS El Fateh (entered service on September 22, 2017 – currently in active duty) |
| 2 | (976) ENS Port Said (entered service on January 6, 2021 – currently in active duty) |
| 3 | (981) ENS El Moez (launched on May 12, 2019 – under construction) |
| 4 | (986) ENS Luxor (launched on May 14, 2020 – under construction) |
| BAE Navy: | |
| 1 | (P-110) Bani Yas (launched on December 6, 2021 – under construction) |
| 2 | (P-111) El Amarat (launched on May 17, 2022 – under construction) |
