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CMN HSI 32 Patrol Boats

In April 2018, the French CMN Group entered into an agreement worth $ 480 million with the Saudi company Zamil Offhore Services, which is mainly engaged in the marine provision of the activities of the Saudi oil company ARAMCO (providing technical fleet, port activities, ship repair) for the joint construction of 39 high-speed for Saudi Arabia patrol boats of the CMN HSI 32 project. Of this number, 19 boats should be built by CMN in France, and the remaining 20 should be assembled at the Zamil Shipyard in Dammam created by Zamil Offhore Services in Saudi Aarabia. The first two boats of the HSI 32 project (tail numbers "315" and "316"), built under this contract at the CMN shipyard in Cherbourg, were launched July 24, 2019 and delivered to the customer on 23 January 2020.

CMN Group, which is based on the shipyard in Cherbourg, has been controlled by the Safa group, owned by Lebanese businessman Iskandar Safa, since 1992. Earlier, CMN, under two contracts in 2013 and 2015, built six HSI 32 boats for the Mozambique Coast Guard. The Interceptor HSI32 vessel is part of the CMN’s DV Interceptor family. As the DV15 (more than 45 units delivered), she is based on Deep Vee planning hull with hard chines for deflection.

The HSI 32 patrol boats developed by CMN have an all-aluminum construction, a total displacement of 132 tons, a hull length of 32.2 meters and a width of 7 m. The three-shaft power plant with MTU diesel engines with three water jets provides a maximum speed of up to 45 knots. Cruising range 580 miles at a speed of 33 knots. The crew of 12 people. Armament boats for Saudi Arabia includes a remotely controlled 20-mm automatic artillery system Nexter Systems Narwhal, two 12.7-mm machine guns and a 5-meter semi-rigid motor boat.

As of February 2013 Saudi Arabia was planning to buy German patrol boats for a total of around 1.5 billion euros ($2 billion) despite some opposition in Germany. Germany’s federal security council, which includes Chancellor Angela Merkel, issued a positive response to a preliminary request for the sale by the Bremen-based Luerssen shipyard. The boats, worth between 10 million euros and 25 million euros each, were expected to be delivered to Saudi Arabia within two years after the contract has been signed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's new grand coalition government was reported in February 2014 to be pushing hard to nail down a $1.9 billion contract with Saudi Arabia for 100 patrol boats expected to be built by the Lurssen shipyard of Bremen. Merkel's new government, comprising her conservative Christian Democratic Union and the center-left Social Democratic Party, intends to offer the Saudis export credit guarantees for the planned patrol boat sale.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress on 09 July 2015 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of 30 Mark V patrol boats and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.2 billion. The MK V SOC is a combatant craft heavy and falls in the 85-foot category. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requested a possible sale of 30 Mark V patrol boats, 32 27mm guns, spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

This proposed sale would contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of Saudi Arabia which has been, and continues to be, an important force for stability in the Middle East. This sale of Mark V patrol boats would give the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) an effective combat and threat deterrent capability to protect maritime infrastructure in the Saudi littorals. This acquisition would enhance the stability and security operations for boundaries and territorial areas encompassing the Saudi Arabian coastline.

The purchase of Mark V patrol boats represents an upgrade and modernization of the RSNF’s existing patrol boat capability. The proposed sale would enhance interoperability between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and would contribute to the stability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region. The Mark V patrol boats would provide additional capability to rapidly identify, engage, and defeat maritime security threats in the near-offshore region of the Saudi littorals. The boats would be used primarily to patrol and interdict intruders in Saudi territorial seas, and recognized economic exclusion zones. Saudi Arabia would have no difficulty absorbing these additional boats.

France on 13 October 2015 announced a series of deals worth 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) with Saudi Arabia, during a visit by Prime Minister Manuel Valls. "France-Saudi Arabia: 10 billion euros in contracts," he wrote in a tweet. The deals include contracts and letters of intent between the two countries whose economic and political bonds have been strengthening. Saudi Arabia also entered exclusive negotiations to buy spy satellite and telecommunications equipment worth "billions of euros" from Thales. The deals also cover energy, health, food, satellites and infrastructure, according to the prime minister's office.

Among the agreements was a Saudi order for 30 patrol boats. An announcement of that plan was already made in June, and had been due to be concluded in October. The deal should bring in 600 million euros although the choice of the shipyard (between four French companies Piriou-DCNS, CMN, Ocea and Couach) was initially unknown.

In April 2018, Saudi company Zamil Offshore Services concluded an agreement worth 480 million dollars with CMN for the construction of 39 HSI32 interceptors for the Saudi Naval Forces. According to the agreement, 21 vessels are set to be built by CMN in Cherbourg, France, and the remaining 19 will be assembled at the facilities of Zamil Offshore Services in Saudi Arabia.

Zamil Shipyards press release issued 22 September 2019 stated : "A key milestone in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) sovereign shipbuilding program for the Royal Saudi Navy Forces (RSNF), was successfully achieved in the presence of Zamil Board members. One of our Dammam Shipyards successfully installed the first keel plate for the First of Class (FoC) Naval vessels being built in Kingdom. Another momentous occasion for sovereign Naval shipbuilding capability. Following the Board meeting, members inspected the Dammam Shipyard facilities and workshops that have over the past few months been especially mobilized for Naval shipbuilding. The Board also spent time talking to many of the growing team working on this prestigious program for RSNF."

The Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, General Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghafili, sponsored the reception 23 January 2020 of the first batch of the French express-type boats (HSI32) project in the eastern region, within the framework of joint cooperation between the Kingdom and the Republic of France in the field of industrialization and military cooperation. The agreement signed with the French company (CMN) included the manufacture and supply of a number of HSI32 speed boats, part of which are made in France and the other part in the Kingdom within the technology transfer program, where these boats are among the most recent fast marine interceptor boats in the world because of their features It has very high potential.

Al-Ghafili, in a speech during the reception, stated that this day is considered one of the immortal days of the naval forces, and moments that everyone is happy about with the arrival of the first batch of the HSI32 project, valuing unlimited support Which is enjoyed by our armed forces in general and our naval forces in particular by the rational leadership led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, supreme commander of all military forces - may God bless him - and His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince and Vice-Chairman of the Council Ministers and Minister of Defense and Deputy Defense Minister Hfez?m God.

He added that what was placed in the hands of officers and members of the armed forces of advanced technology and equipment requires maintaining them in an optimal use, and applying the foundations of maintenance to ensure sustainability, as he noted with concern for continuous training, in order to achieve the required readiness to implement the tasks properly and fully vigil in the areas of operations that will work With these boats, deterring any threat to the Kingdom's strategic interests.

Al-Ghufaili also expressed its happiness for the arrival of these three boats, indicating that they will complete the speed boats system in the coming months, and these boats will contribute to raising the level of readiness and combat readiness to enhance maritime security in the region and will participate with the various eastern fleet units in protecting the vital and strategic interests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .

He said: “We are now seeing the first signs of the huge and large naval projects, and this is its first fruit, God willing, as during the coming month, God willing, the Saudi Royal Navy will receive a number of multi-combat combat helicopters, some of which will operate in the eastern fleet and that will be highly supportive The combat readiness of the Navy.” At the end of his speech, the Al-Ghufaili thanked all the employees of the Navy, including officers, individuals, and employees, for the efforts that were being made, wishing them success.