French shipyard Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) has completed the hull of the first BR71 Mk II corvette for the Angolan Navy, with the other two vessels to be built in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under a technology transfer agreement.
Steel was cut for the first corvette in December 2023 and the hull was laid down in March, with fitting out of the first vessel commencing ahead of delivery in 2026. The other two vessels will be built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and delivered by 2027, with steel for the second vessel to be cut in October. The UAE shipyard previously built five Baynunah sister ships for the Emirati Navy.
In February 2023 Angola signed a 1 billion euro deal with the UAE’s Edge group that will see Edge subsidiary ADSB deliver a fleet of vessels to the Angolan Navy.
The Combattante BR71 Mk II is an advanced variant of the Baynunah class (BR71 design) corvette developed by French shipyard CMN, a part of Privinvest Shipbuilding Group. The vessel is designed for littoral warfare defence operations against air and surface threats, patrolling tasks, law enforcement and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
It has a crew of 50 and maximum speed of 30 knots, with range of 2 500 nautical miles at 12 knots. Four MTU engines drive two steering and two booster water-jets. It can accommodate a 5 ton class helicopter on a rear deck and two six metre RHIBs. According to Mer et Marine, the Angolan BR71 Mk IIs will be fitted with eight Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, a VL Mica surface-to-air missile system, and a Simbad-RC short-range air defence system, along with a 76 mm gun turret supplied by Leonardo. French company Lacroix will supply anti-missile decoy systems.
Operating from a 330 000 square metre shipyard in Abu Dhabi, ADSB builds corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and fast patrol boats for military customers, and commercial vessels for the oil services industry. The company also offers a full range of maintenance, repair and refit, upgrade and conversion, as well as design and engineering consultancy services. ADSB has built half a dozen Baynunah class corvettes for the UAE Navy, with the lead ship constructed in France by CMN.
It is not clear if the BR71 Mk II contract follows on from a 495 million euro 2016 contact between Angola and Privinvest that was to see the establishment of a shipyard in Angola and the supply of several naval vessels. It is believed the 2016 deal was scaled back significantly following pressure from the International Monetary Fund.
In addition to the BR71 Mk IIs, Mer et Marine reported that the Angolan Navy has also ordered three 43 metre long Ocean Eagle trimaran patrol boats from CMN, and two 70 metre long LCT 200-70 tank landing craft. The first Ocean Eagle was delivered in November 2022 and the first LCT in mid-2023. The second LCT was launched in March and should be delivered in early 2025. Construction of the other two Ocean Eagles is underway at the Exail shipyard as production has been subcontracted there.
EDR magazine reported that the 1 billion euro Angolan deal also includes five 16 metre long 160 Sea Keeper cargo and transport vessels and six 12 metre long 120 Fast In-shore Platforms. A five-year Integrated Logistic Support and Integrated Service Support package is also included, as well as six HT-100 VTOL unmanned aerial systems, produced by Anavia of Switzerland of which Edge acquired the majority shares in November 2023, two of which will be embarked on each BR71 Mk II corvette.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Angolan corvette contract included an export-credit financing package to help Angola finance the acquisition.
CMN previously supplied three HSI 32 patrol craft to Angola, with deliveries in 2019.
