First Chinese corvette for Algeria heads home

07 October 2015 by defenceWeb

The first of three C28A corvettes for the Algerian Navy is on its way home to North Africa, and is currently docked in Malaysia for rest and replenishment.

The corvette, named Adhafer (920) docked at the Boustead Cruise Centre (BCC) at Port Klang yesterday morning, according to the Royal Malaysian Navy. It will be docked there until Thursday to replenish supplies and rest before continuing on its way to Algeria.

The vessel is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ali Yahi. The Royal Malaysian Navy said that 20 contractors from China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group are accompanying the vessel’s crew of 120. Malaysian naval officers were due to inspect the Adhafer but this is apparently no longer the case. The type had earlier this year been offered to the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The other two C28A corvettes are due for delivery to Algeria in 2016 and 2017. According to Want China Times, China and Algeria are discussing the possibility of supplying another three C28A corvettes.

Adhafer began sea trials in August this year - delivery to the Algerian Navy was originally scheduled for May. Algeria signed a contract for the three C28A corvettes in March 2012. The first vessel (920) was launched on August 16 last year and the second corvette (921) was launched in February this year.

The corvettes are armed with a 76 mm main gun, FM-90N launcher for HQ-7 surface-to-air missiles and YJ-82/C-802 anti-ship missiles. Once in Algeria the vessels will be fitted with Thales Smart-S Mk 2 radar and command, control, and communication systems. When the second vessel (921) was launched in February, it was fitted with two Type 730 series close-in weapon system (CIWS) turrets.

The C28A corvettes are around 120 metres long, 14.4 metres wide and have a draft of 3.87 metres. They displace about 2 880 tons fully loaded, and are powered by MTU diesel engines, giving a top speed of 27 knots. They feature some stealth in their design, including the placement of the exhausts towards their waterline to reduce infrared signature.

Algeria’s navy is set to expand significantly in the near future as it receives a number of new vessels, including two Meko A-200AN frigates by 2018 and two Project 636 Varshavyanka (Kilo class) diesel electric submarines from Admiralty Shipyards in Russia, also in 2018.