On December 16, 2025, Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin marked a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s naval modernisation drive by moving HMS Saud (pennant number 820) — the first of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) frigates ordered by the Kingdom — from its construction hall to the ship lift. The move signals the transition from primary construction to final outfitting and preparations for trials, bringing the programme a step closer to delivery.
Also known as Jalalat Al-Malik Saud (His Majesty King Saud), the vessel is the lead ship of a four-ship class being built under Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Project. While the hulls are constructed by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor for combat systems and overall platform integration, underscoring the programme’s importance within the broader US–Saudi defence partnership.
The Wisconsin ceremony was attended by senior Saudi and US officials, including Vice Admiral Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghraibi, Chief of Staff of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), alongside representatives from the industrial partners involved. Saudi officials framed the launch as more than a shipbuilding milestone, emphasising that the MMSC programme is paired with structured crew training, qualification pipelines and extensive shore-based preparations. These measures, they said, are designed to ensure that the frigates can operate regularly and independently once delivered, rather than entering prolonged post-delivery work-ups.
The Tuwaiq Project traces its origins back to October 2015, when the United States approved the potential sale of the MMSC frigates to Saudi Arabia, with an estimated overall value of $11.25 billion. The formal framework was established in May 2017 through the signing of a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA). This was followed by a series of major contract awards, including $481 million in March 2018 and $450 million in July 2018 for detailed design and planning, as well as another $282 million in November 2018.
A pivotal contract modification came on December 20, 2019, when an agreement valued at approximately $1.96 billion was issued to cover the detailed design and construction of all four ships. Work has been spread across Marinette and numerous other US locations, with a planned overall completion date of June 2026. Steel cutting for the first ship took place in October 2019, followed by the keel laying of HMS Saud in May 2021. The keel of the second ship, HMS Fahd (822), was laid on October 13, 2022, at a point when fabrication for the third and fourth vessels was already under way.
In 2025, the lead ship, often referred to as MMSC-1, was rolled out of the construction shed around October 27, setting the stage for the December move to the ship lift. Beyond the ships themselves, Saudi officials stress that the Tuwaiq Project includes substantial investments in shore infrastructure and sustainment. Planned upgrades at King Abdulaziz Naval Base in Jubail include modern maintenance and training facilities intended to support readiness and reduce reliance on overseas support.
The MMSC programme is also being tied to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives. Through entities such as the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and the General Authority for Defense Development (GADD), the Kingdom is highlighting industrial localisation, technology transfer and the development of domestic sustainment capacity as integral elements of introducing and maintaining a new class of surface combatants.
Technically, the Multi-Mission Surface Combatant is derived from the US Navy’s Freedom-class littoral combat ship, but differs markedly in role and configuration. Rather than relying on interchangeable mission modules, the Saudi variant is fitted with a permanent suite of sensors and weapons, making it a fully equipped, multi-role surface combatant. The ship measures around 118 metres in length, with a beam of 17.6 metres, a draft of 4.3 metres and a maximum displacement of about 3,600 tonnes.
Propulsion follows a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) arrangement, enabling speeds of around 30 knots and a range of approximately 5,000 nautical miles, allowing extended operations well beyond Saudi Arabia’s immediate coastal waters. The standard crew complement is cited as 101 personnel — 84 core crew plus 17 assigned to the helicopter detachment — with accommodation for an additional 29 embarked personnel when required.
A key feature of the class is its reliance on aviation and unmanned systems to extend surveillance and engagement ranges. HMS King Saud is equipped with a flight deck and hangar sized for an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter. The aircraft provides anti-submarine warfare capability through dipping sonar, sonobuoys and torpedoes, as well as surface surveillance using radar and electro-optical sensors. Utility roles such as transport, medical evacuation and vertical replenishment further broaden the ship’s operational flexibility. Vertical take-off and landing drones are also expected to play a growing role, monitoring surface traffic and building situational awareness without committing a helicopter to every task.
At the heart of the ship’s combat system is Lockheed Martin’s COMBATSS-21 combat management system, derived from Aegis and linked via Link 16 to coordinate sensors, tracks and weapons. The sensor suite includes the Hensoldt TRS-4D active electronically scanned array radar, Saab CEROS 200 fire control directors, electronic support measures such as the WBR-2000, and anti-submarine systems including a variable depth sonar, with Captas VDS frequently referenced.
The weapon fit reflects the ship’s role as a true frigate. It includes Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles and Mk 41 vertical launch systems intended to fire Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), with two eight-cell VLS modules cited per ship. Close-in and point-defence systems include an 11-round Mk 15 Mod 31 SeaRAM, a BAE Systems 57 mm main gun, two Nexter Narwhal 20 mm remote weapon stations, and Mk 32 torpedo launchers. Decoy and torpedo-defence systems such as ALEX SKWS and AN-SLQ-25 are also part of the package. Programme documentation further references a total of 532 RIM-162 ESSM rounds across installed stocks, testing, training and spares.
With HMS King Saud now entering the final stages of construction and testing, Saudi Arabia’s long-anticipated new frigate class is moving closer to operational reality, marking a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s effort to field a modern, blue-water capable surface fleet.
