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Royal Saudi Naval Forces launch HMS NEOM, the second ship of the Sarawat Project's second phase

The Royal Saudi Naval Forces launched His Majesty's Ship NEOM on 25 October 2026 at Navantia's shipyard in San Fernando, Spain, after hull construction and assembly were completed. It is the second ship of the second phase of the Sarawat Project and the seventh corvette Navantia has built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.

HMS NEOM on the slipway at Navantia's San Fernando shipyard during the launch ceremony
Photo: Saudi Ministry of Defense
WHY IT MATTERS

Let me explain

The second phase comprises three Avante 2200 multirole corvettes, HMS AlMadinah, HMS NEOM and HMS AlUla, following five warships delivered in the first phase. The ship's systems will be outfitted, installed and integrated in Saudi Arabia, followed by acceptance trials on Saudi land and in Saudi waters. The phase two contract includes an integrated logistics support package, crew training and a plan to qualify more than 100 Saudi engineers, alongside localising combat systems integration and maintenance. HAZEM, the first Saudi naval combat management system of its kind, was developed by SAMI and Navantia, and GAMI supported the project through its industrial participation agreement with Navantia (SPA; Ministry of Defense). Navantia says the final ship of the batch is due in 2029 and that the contract represents about four million working hours (Navantia).