The third Egyptian Gowind-class corvette ENS El Moez completed initial sea trials on 5 July
Naval Group announced on 5 July that the third Egyptian Gowind-class corvette completed its first sea trials.
The completion of sea trials for the third vessel, known as ENS El Moez (981), is a milestone achievement and showcases strong cooperation between France and Egypt.
Built in Egypt by the Alexandria Shipyard Company, the new corvette is designed to perform the full spectrum of naval defence operations and maritime security roles. El Moez (981) was launched in May 2020.
‘This new milestone demonstrates once more the success of the transfer of technology & production and our strong industrial cooperation,’ Naval Group announced on Twitter.
The Gowind is a multi-mission corvette designed for surveillance, surface and subsurface combat, protection and escort missions.
It is armed with eight Exocet MM40 and 16 MICA Vl missiles, a 76mm (or 56mm) Oto Melara gun, two remote-controlled small calibre guns, as well as torpedo launchers and 16 vertical launch cells for MBDA’s MICA missile.
This variation of the Gowind family has been ordered by both Egypt, Malaysia and the UAE. Naval Group also offered this corvette design to Greece.
El-Moez is the third of a total of four ships to be built locally by Egypt. Four Gowind vessels was ordered from France’s Naval Group (formerly DCNS) for one billion euros in 2017, with three to be built in Egypt. The first vessel, ENS El Fateh, was built in France and delivered to Egypt in October 2017.
Egyptian Navy’s Second Gowind 2500 Multi-Mission Corvette, Port Said was launched in September 2018. Egypt’s Gowind class corvette is fitted with the Naval Group’s SETIS combat management system including Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM).
The fourth vessel of the class ENS Luxor (986) was also launched in May 2020 in a ceremony attended by several dignitaries including Egypt’s defence minister Mohamed Zaki, and the French Ambassador in Cairo, Stefan Romaté.