ENS Al-Qadeer

ENS Al-Qadeer (F 909) (Arabic: القدير, lit. "capable") is an Al-Aziz-class frigates of the Egyptian Navy.

ENS Al-Qadeer in Wilhelmshaven, 7 November 2023
History
Egypt
Name	Al-Qadeer (القدير)
Ordered	November 2018
Builder	Stahlbau Nord GmbH, Bremerhaven
Laid down	March 2021
Launched	April 2022
Commissioned	15 December 2023
Homeport	Alexandria
Identification	Hull number: F 909
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Type	Al-Aziz-class frigate
Displacement	3,700 tonnes (3,600 long tons) full
Length	118 m (387 ft)
Beam	14.8 m (49 ft)
Draught	4.3 m (14 ft)
Propulsion	CODAG WARP 2 × MTU 16V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, 5,920 kilowatts (7,940 hp) 2 × shafts, CPP 1 × General Electric LM2500, 20,000 kilowatts (27,000 hp) 1 × waterjet
Speed	28 knots (52 km/h)
Range	7,200 NM (13,300 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × boats
Complement	120
Sensors and processing systems	Thales NS-110 4D AESA air/surface surveillance radar SATCOM system towed sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	Thales SCORPION 2 ECM & ESM Leonardo WASS C310 decoy launchers 4 × Rheinmetall MASS decoy launchers
Armament	1 × Otobreda 127/64 gun 2 × Oerlikon Searanger 20 RWS 2 × 4 Exocet MM40 Block 3 SSM launchers 32 × VL MICA NG VLS cells 2 × 2 324 mm torpedo tubes for MU90 & DM2A4 torpedoes
Aircraft carried	2 × helicopters
Aviation facilities	Flight deck and hangar

Design and description

Al-Qadeer is a MEKO A-200EN frigate, designed by Blohm + Voss. The frigate has a length of 118 metres (387 ft 2 in), a beam of 14.8 m (48 ft 7 in), and draught of 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in).^[1] The frigate has a full load displacement of 3,700 tonnes (3,600 long tons) and is powered by combined diesel and gas waterjet and refined propeller (CODAG WARP) propulsion system, consisted of two 5,920-kilowatt (7,940 hp) MTU 16V 1163 TB93 diesel engines connected to two shafts with controllable pitch propellers, and one 20,000 kW (27,000 hp) General Electric LM2500 gas turbine to power the waterjet. She has a speed of 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) and range of 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) with cruising speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The ship has a complement of 120 personnel.^[2]

The ship is armed with one Otobreda 127-millimetre (5.0 in)/64-caliber gun and four 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon Searanger 20 remote weapon systems.^[3] For surface warfare, Al-Qadeer are equipped with eight Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missile launchers, consisted of two quad launchers, and 32 vertical launching system cells for VL MICA NG anti-aircraft missiles. For anti-submarine warfare, she is equipped with two twin 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo tubes for MU90 Impact and DM2A4 torpedoes.^[4][5]

Her sensors and electronic systems consisted of Thales NS-110 4D active electronically scanned array air/surface surveillance radar, satellite communication system, towed array sonar, Thales SCORPION 2 ECM and ESM system.^[4]

The frigate's countermeasures systems consisted of two 32-tube Rheinmetall Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) decoy launchers and decoy launchers for Leonardo WASS C310 surface anti-torpedo countermeasure systems.^[4]

Al-Qadeer has a flight deck and hangar capable to accommodate two helicopters and a vertically launched drone,^[4] and two boats.^[2]

Construction and career

The Egyptian government signed a US$2.7 billion contract with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in November 2018 for four MEKO A-200EN frigates and training program for its crews. Three ships were constructed in Germany, with the fourth ship to be built in Egypt.^[6][7]

Work on the construction of the ship was started with the first steel cutting ceremony in autumn 2020,^[8] with her keel being laid down in March 2021.^[9] The frigate was launched in April 2022 at Stahlbau Nord GmbH shipyard in Bremerhaven.^[9] The ship was named as Al-Qadeer on 14 October 2022, coinciding with the handover ceremony of her sister ship Al-Aziz.^[10]

Al-Qadeer was handed over to the Egyptian Navy at a ceremony held in Bremerhaven on 15 December 2023.^[11] She then sailed for her homeport in Alexandria.^[11] The frigate arrived at Alexandria Naval Base on 31 December 2023. The arrival of Al-Qadeer was accompanied by a naval parade in Alexandria.^[12][13]