ENS Luxor explained

ENS Ismailia (986) is the fourth ship of Egyptian Gowind-class corvette of the Egyptian Navy.

Development and design

See main article: Gowind-class design. In 2014, Egypt signed a €1bn contract with Naval Group to buy four Gowind 2,500-ton corvettes with an option for two more. Separately, MBDA negotiated a contract to equip the ships with MICA vertical launch air-defense missiles and MM40 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missiles, together worth an additional 400 million euros, while Naval Group negotiated a 100–200 million euro contract for torpedoes.[1] Three of the corvettes are to be built locally by Alexandria Shipyardwithin a technology transfer agreement. It was apparently President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who decided these were the ships he wanted rather than the Meko A200 being offered by German group ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) or the Sigma corvette proposed by Damen of the Netherlands.[2] [3] Egypt is in talks with France to acquire another two Gowind corvettes which, if ordered, would be produced by France in Lorient.[4] [5]

In April 2015, Naval Group started cutting metal for the very first Gowind 2500 corvette, with a planned construction period of 29 months. It is the first of a series of four units that will be delivered to Egypt before 2019. The corvette's first block was laid in the dry dock in September 2015.[6] Naval Group celebrated the launch of the first Egyptian Gowind corvette El Fateh at the Lorient naval shipyard in September 2016. El Fateh successfully concluded its first sea trials by the end of March 2017.[7] The Egyptian Navy took delivery of the vessel in September 2017, three years after the order was placed.[8]

Construction and career

Ismailia was laid down in 2019 as Luxor and launched on 14 May 2020 by Alexandria Shipyard in Alexandria.

The ship began sea trials in July 2022.[9]

The ship was reportedly renamed from Luxor to Ismailia in 2022, to allow the use of the name Luxor for a newly acquired Fort Rosalie-class replenishment ship.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 31 October 2014. DCNS Confirms Sale of 10 Gowind Corvettes, Expects More. 13 August 2020. defense-aerospace.com.
  2. Web site: Cabirol. Michel. 15 September 2014. Armement : nouveaux clins d'oeil de l'Egypte à la France. 26 September 2014. La Tribune. fr.
  3. Web site: Mackenzie. Christina. 6 June 2014. Egypt buys four Gowind corvettes. 19 November 2014. Aviation Week.
  4. News: Cabirol. Michel. 22 September 2015. Les Egyptiens sont à Paris pour négocier l'achat des deux Mistral. French. Egyptians are in Paris to negotiate the purchase of two Mistral. La Tribune. 13 August 2020.
  5. News: 25 July 2015. Diplomat: France Is In Talks With Egypt For New Corvette Sale. defensenews.com. Agence France-Presse. 13 August 2020.
  6. The future Egyptian #Gowind corvette is taking shape at DCNS Lorient.. navalgroup. 649206737787072513. 30 September 2015. 13 August 2020.
  7. The first Gowind®2500 by DCNS succeeds in the beginning of its sea trials. Naval Group. 22 March 2017. 13 August 2020.
  8. Naval Group Delivers the First Gowind®2500 Corvette, ENS Elfateh, to the Egyptian Navy. Naval Group. 22 September 2017. 13 August 2020.
  9. Web site: Maritime . Baird . 2022-07-08 . Egyptian Navy's fourth Gowind-class corvette begins sea trials . 2023-10-25 . Baird Maritime . en-US.

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