• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Falaj-3 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)

Abu Dhabi Ship Building [ADSB] was awarded 18 May 2021 an AED3.5 billion contract by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UAE Navy, to build four Falaj 3-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The new contract is the largest-ever order received by ADSB. The Falaj-3 class is a highly flexible and versatile offshore patrol vessel used to carry out a wide range of missions. DAMEN has such a lineup for OPV / patrol boats, and there are variations that lead to high-speed boat families such as the STAN series, support vessels, and finally surface combatants. The company has a wide market share from the Middle East to Southeast Asia as well as Europe.

At the NAVDEX 2021 naval trade show, held in parallel with IDEX 2021 from 21-25 February, Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) exhibited several scale models of new vessels being designed and manufactured domestically. Offshore Patrol Vessels are comprised of 65m to 70m Axe Bow Deep V bottom, high-speed vessels that can carry 42 personnel and an onboard helicopter. These vessels are capable of carrying out multi-mission operations, including:

• Patrolling and reconnaissance missions and border monitoring
• Securing critical maritime infrastructure
• Air defence missions at sea
• Enforcement of local and international maritime law
• Anti-piracy tasks at seas
• Acting as the command vessel
• Participation in joint operations with armed forces
• Participation in search and rescue missions

The Offshore Patrol Vessel provides for continuous and comprehensive monitoring of the state of sea areas; observation of the surface and underwater situation in the open sea and near the coast of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, including the one capable of ensuring the continuous solution of search and research tasks, conducting sea reconnaissance, hydrographic and hydrometeorological support of the fleet forces; as well as in cooperation with the coastal maritime services to effectively solve the problems of saving human life at sea and providing information support for the safety of navigation.

The exclusive economic zone is a guarantee for the livelihood of a country’s fishermen, because fish and seafood are still the main sources of food on the mainland. The seabed is also rich in mineral resources, especially hydrocarbons such as oil and natural gas that can make the country more prosperous. Protecting these resources requires dedicated ships that demonstrate national sovereignty and ensure compliance with laws, and all countries need platforms that can project national search and rescue capabilities and control environmental pollution.

Offshore patrol ships need a certain amount of space to carry various equipment and some medical equipment. In addition, the deck must be able to take off and land maritime support helicopters. Some offshore patrol ships may also need to be equipped with good-performance sonar to assist in the implementation of hydrological survey work, but the most important sensor is a powerful air and maritime surveillance radar. The data link is also needed when exchanging radar data with other law enforcement ships. Of course, if it is equipped with some form of combat management system, it will be more efficient to exchange data with other law enforcement ships. Law enforcement requirements mean that patrol ships are usually equipped with a medium caliber (40-76 mm) main gun and a smaller caliber (7.62 mm-30 mm) auxiliary weapon.

The hull shape and general ship architecture of which provide the best storm seaworthiness in any weather conditions of long ocean voyages, which is expressed in the ability to maintain a high speed of movement on any course relative to hurricane wind and storm waves with a minimum pitching, and, as a result, capable of effectively using all onboard and outboard technical surveillance equipment and ship weapons.

Conventional vee-hull boats and ships are designed to cut through waves without pounding or slamming but sacrifice speed and transverse stability. The design of the forward vee-section of a boat hull determines the smoothness of the ride. In practice vee-hull boats and ships tend to be long and narrow and as a result they heel significantly from side to side. The Damen Sea Axe hull utilizes this concept where the vee hull is narrow and has little to no flair. The Damen hull sacrifices reserve buoyancy in the bow as a result. The Damen hull is inherently unstable in a following sea and requires active control fins to keep from broaching. Broaching typically happens when a vessel is riding along with a wave or racing down one.

Ship List
#	Name	Builder	Laid Down	Launch	Comm	Decomm	Notes
		Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB)	20	202	202
		Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB)	20	202	202
		Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB)	20	202	202
		Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB)	20	202	202