Al-Dhafra, Pride of UAE Navy displayed at NAVDEX

The first "Baynunah" warship fully manufactured by the United Arab Emirates, is today kick-starting the ‘Ship of the Day' series taking place this week as part of the third edition of NAVDEX, the maritime security show that has quickly become the largest naval defence exhibition in the region, alongside IDEX, the world's leading joint defence exhibition. The name of the ship on display this year is called "Al Dhafra".
The Baynunah class are corvettes built for the United Arab Emirates Navy and named after the Baynunah region in Abu Dhabi. The first type was built in France in 2004, however the UAE Ministry of Defence commissioned an upgraded vessel to be built in Abu Dhabi to form the backbone of the UAE Navy.
Baynunah was the first warship of this model and size to be fully manufactured, not just in the UAE but across the Arab World. The warship embodies the vision realised by the UAE Ministry of Defence and Navy in the new millennium to innovate and evolve the nation's knowledge and skills development in the feat of building modern warships and other vessels. The Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding Company, ADSB, was selected as the manufacturer of the new version of the Baynunah military ship, rolling out the first fleet in 2011.
The length of Baynunah's steel body is approximately 70 meters and it is 11 meters wide, with a displacement of 950 tons, and a hull measuring 3 meters, providing the ship with the ability to navigate in shallow water. The hull and lower parts of the ship are made using both steel and aluminium components to support the required balance and the ability to reflect radar waves.
Baynunah's modern and innovative engineering design also credited the ship with the ability to resist gale-force sea waves, and is also characterised with high flexibility and the ability to manoeuvre using three water-jet engines and four diesel engines. New technologies allow for water suction and compression which is then expelled quickly through jet channels, a design attributed to jet aircraft, as opposed to conventional ships that rely on traditional fan propellers. Baynunah is able to reach sailing speeds of up to 32 knots to cover more than 2,400 nautical miles in one outing.
The inside of Baynunah is heavily equipped with the latest technologies to provide its crew the ability to focus on their naval duties. Generous store supplies enable the crew to stay on the high seas for many weeks. In case of any emergencies, Baynunah is also equipped with a helipad for helicopters to land and resupply vital provisions.
For military requirements, Baynunah is equipped with sophisticated weaponry, including combat launchers, machine guns, as well as automatic and rocket propelled grenade launchers. The ship also holds in-built intelligent sensors as well as a complete radar system to give Baynunah the ability to monitor its surroundings from all directions, including the depths of the sea.
Visitors to NAVDEX this week can explore the Al Dhafra first-hand, along with other impressive local and international warships moored in the ADNEC Marina for the duration of the event. Live demonstrations are also taking place, consisting of individual boat demonstrations, anti-terrorism underwater defence, and the official NAVDEX daily demonstration.
Source: WAM