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Prototypical Corvette for Angola
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
On 4 March, at the CMN (Constructions mécaniques de Normandie) in Cherbourg-en-Contentin, a christening ceremony and corvette launch took place. Ekuikui II (F 300). The unit is the first of three ships of type BR71 MKII built for Angolan naval forces – Marinha de Guerra Angolan.
In the article
Corvettes for Angola – coast and security protection in the Gulf of Guinea
To Luanda, it's much more than just another ship. Angola has over 1,600 kilometres of coast over the southern Atlantic and an extensive exclusive economic zone with strategic oil and gas deposits. Protecting offshore installations, shipping routes and combating maritime crime, including piracy and smuggling, is one of the key security challenges for this country.
It is in this context that we should look at the programme of building new corvettes. The BR71 MKII units are intended to provide Angola with the ability to patrol coastal waters on a permanent basis, to respond to threats in the offshore installation area and to strengthen state presence in the southern Gulf of Guinea waters.
Way to Launch Ekuikui II
A contract worth around EUR billion was signed on February 22, 2023 at the IDEX & NAVDEX Fair in Abu Dhabi between the Angolan government and the Emirati Edge Group. The programme is currently implemented by AD Naval, formed by Edge Group and CMN Naval. According to the plan adopted, the first two ships will be built at the Cherbourg shipyard, while the third will be built at the Cherbourg shipyard. will be built in Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding.
Corvette construction Ekuikui II It began in December 2023 with the burning of the first plates. The location of the keel occurred in March 2024. The incorporation into the service of Angola's prototype ship is planned for October of this year, while two more units are expected to raise the flag in 2027.
New corvettes are to be the basis for Angola's developed combat capabilities. For a country whose economy is heavily based on marine resources, this is an investment in the safety of its own waters and the stability of the whole region.
