| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Halter Marine [1][2] |
| Operators: | Egyptian Navy |
| Cost: | USD 101.5 million each[3][4] |
| Built: | 2008–2013 |
| In commission: | 2011– |
| Building: | 2 |
| Planned: | 6[5] |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Active: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Missile boat |
| Displacement: | 500 t (490 long tons; 550 short tons)[6] |
| Length: | 60.6 m (198 ft 10 in) |
| Beam: | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Draft: | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: | 3 × MTU diesels, 30,000 hp (22 MW) 3 shafts |
| Speed: | 41 knots (76 km/h)[7] |
| Range: | 2,000 nmi (3,700 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) |
| Endurance: | 8 days at sea |
| Complement: | 36 (8 officers, 10 chief petty officers, and 18 ratings) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
• Thales Nederland Scout (I/J band) radar • EADS TRS-3D radar, built by Raytheon • I and K dual-band fire control radar • Link ASN 150, LinkYE, Link 14, and Link 11 data links • IFF • Lightweight Shipboard Electro-Optical Combat Management System/Fire Control |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
• 4 × chaff/IR launchers • ESM/ECM |
| Armament: | • 8 × RGM-84 Boeing Harpoon SSM Block 1G in 2 quad canister launchers • 1 × United Defense Mk 75 76 mm/62 Super Rapid DP gun • 1 × Raytheon RAM system consisting of the Mk.49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and a Mk.44 MOD 2 Block 1 guided missile round pack (supporting 21 canister-mounted missiles) • 1 × Raytheon Mk 15 Mod 21 Phalanx (Block 1B) 20 mm Phalanx CIWS • 2 × deck-mounted 7.62 mm M60 machine guns [1] |
The Ambassador MK III Missile Boat is originally an American-designed patrol boat. It was chosen by the Egyptian Navy first as a patrol boat for their Coast Guard Fleet, which already have several units and later as a platform for a large modern missile boat with a small radar signature. The new boats would contain an update in design meant to make the vessels more resistant to radar detection. Its design was conducted with the assistance of Lockheed Martin.[8]
Contents |
Since 1990s, the Egyptian Navy has been considering the procurement of a new Fast Attack Craft (FAC) to begin replacing many of the ageing FAC currently in inventory, which dated since 1966.[9]
The Egyptian Navy has a requirement for a force of modern FAC to conduct independent and joint surveillance and strike operations against surface shipping and armed surface adversaries. Such operations are intended to insure the use of sea lines of communication by Egyptian forces, and deny the same use by potential adversaries. Mission contingencies require a FAC with anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, and electronic warfare capabilities that will allow it to operate in a moderate to high threat environment. Signature reduction, high speed, and maneuverability are required for the FAC to conduct the anticipated pursuit, intercept, and engagement scenarios.[10]
In addition, vessel that would be fully operational in conditions up to Sea State 4 and able to survive through Sea State 6. It would be of welded construction using materials consistent with specified structural strength, reduce maintenance, and weight requirements. Builders were to use superstructure materials that enhance signature reduction, reduced maintenance, and weight.[11]
Furthermore, the FAC would be designed and constructed to provide a service life of at least twenty years with minimum maintenance and repair. This service life is predicated on an operational profile that has the FAC on patrol for eight days each month. The remainder of the time the FAC would be pier side in a reduced availability status. The expected propulsion plan operating hours per engine was 2400 hours per year. The ship’s notional maintenance cycle includes a maintenance availability and dry-docking every 24 months.[12]
The Egyptian Navy would provide cryptographic, identification friend or foe, and fueling at sea equipment as Government Furnished Property. Wherever economically feasible, the FAC design was to incorporate automation and ship equipment performance monitoring technology to minimize crew requirements. The Egyptian Navy’s specifications call for a crew of 36, which is seen as the minimum needed to be able to operate the ship for up to eight hours at General Quarters (Condition I) and for up to eight days of sustained at-sea operations with weapons and sensors manned at Wartime Cruise (Condition III).[13] Additional weapon and sensor system requirements as identified in the solicitation:
The Egyptian Navy received a number of unsolicited bids in 1999 including:
In early 1999, the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) determine the feasibility of meeting the Egyptian FAC requirements using a modified Cyclone PC-14 design. The Egyptians had concerns with the use of the Cyclone class hull as the basis for their new FAC. The Cyclone hull design is based on the same Vosper Thornycroft design used by Egyptina Navy for their Ramadan class missile boat, yet the Cyclone design is heavier and lacks the weapons load-out found in the Ramadan. The Cyclone design, as it exists in the US Navy inventory, does not have sufficient weight margin to include a 76mm gun mount, Rolling Airframe Missile, Harpoon, and Phalanx. The feasibility study conducted by the Carderock ultimately concluded that most of Egypt’s FAC requirements, as were specified, could be met within the modified Cyclone design, but there were some significant shortfalls.[14] For example, to modify the Cyclone design to meet Egypt’s needs Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center recommended:
Based on these shortfalls, the modified Cyclone design, as proposed was dropped from future consideration. Additionally, the US Navy estimated that the cost of four modified Cylcone class FACs would be around USD 610.1M, which exceeded the Egyptian Navy’s budget.
On October 1999 the following US shipyards were probably included on the official bidder list:
By August 2000, the list was shortened to the final three shipyards (Halter Marine, Marinette Marine, and Bollinger Shipyards).[15]
On 03 January 2001, Halter Marine announced that it had been selected by the Egyptian Navy[16][17] to provide three Ambassador Mk III class fast attack craft. The program was valued at USD 406M (US$ 200M from FMA and USD 206M financed over five years), including construction, all weapons, integration, spare parts and technical services. Industry sources suggest that the program was under-bidded by as much as 33%, to assure a Halter Marine contract. Privately, the Egyptian Navy also expressed concern over the cheapness of the price quoted, and initially demanded a high-priced performance bond to guarantee the delivery, and assurances that there would be no cost overruns.[18]
On 01 July 2001, the Egyptian Armament Authority approved the contract, and forwarded it to the Ministry of Defense for final approval before the end of 2001, with construction commencing in 2002. The first unit is scheduled to be delivered by 2005 followed by one unit per year valued at USD 101.5M each.[19]
On 18 December 2009 according to the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) that the Egyptian Navy expanded the Ambassador III-class Fast Missile Craft (FMC) requirement from three vessels to four and increased the procurement budget to almost USD 1.3 billion.[20][21]
A construction contract for the three FAC was expected to be completed by the end of 2004. Industry sources indicate that the program remained in limbo until January 2005 due to significant numbers of technical questions that were posed by all parties. These issues were apparently resolved at a meeting in Alexandria in January 2005.
Phase I began in December 2005, when VT Halter Marine signed a USD 28.8M contract with the US Department of Defense to develop a functional design for a fast missile craft (FMC) for the Egyptian Navy. Under this phase, VT Halter Marine conducted analytical, design, engineering and model testing for the FMC. The effort included preparation for the integration of C4ISR as well as a combat system effectiveness study to validate the FMC system requirements. The first phase was completed in December 2006.[22]
Phase II (following the successful completion of Phase I) began in September 2008 and is for the design and construction of the four new FAC (including option for the fourth unit). The total contract value is now estimated at USD 1.29B (including systems) for the four units. The four vessels will probably be complete by 2014. The US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is managing the program.[23]
In May 2010, Egyptian Navy was in discussions concerning the procurement of two additional units (five and six). These units could begin around 2014.[24]
Construction began in 2001 for the missile boat units. One will be delivered in 2011, one delivered in 2012, one will be delivered in 2013 and the last one in final phase of construction and to be delivered in 2014.[1][25]
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