The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) floated Tuesday the His Majesty King Saud ship, the first vessel under the Tuwaiq Project, which includes the construction of four multi-mission combat ships, in the US state of Wisconsin.

The flotation ceremony was attended by Chief of Naval Staff Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Ghuraibi, in the presence of a number of senior officers and officials from both the Saudi and US sides, as well as representatives of Lockheed Martin, a leading defense and military industries company, and Fincantieri, which specializes in the construction of advanced military and naval vessels.

On this occasion, Al-Ghuraibi expressed his pleasure at the flotation of the ship, highlighting the unlimited support enjoyed by the Armed Forces in general and the RSNF in particular from the wise leadership, which has contributed to achieving qualitative accomplishments in modernization and development, the Saudi Ministry of Defense said.

He noted that the Tuwaiq Project is one of the key and strategic projects in the development journey of the RSNF, embodying the Kingdom’s direction toward building a modern and professional naval force based on the latest military technologies, alongside advanced training and qualification programs for its personnel, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

He added that the project enhances the readiness of the RSNF to protect the Kingdom’s strategic interests and secure vital maritime routes, pointing out that the project’s ships are equipped with the latest advanced combat systems that enable them to carry out various naval warfare missions and engage aerial, surface, and subsurface targets.

Separately, Al-Ghuraibi met with Chief of US Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two navies, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defense. (Source & Photo © Saudi Ministry of Defense/SPA)