Ramadan-class missile boat

Class overview
Name	Ramadan class
Builders	Vosper Thornycroft, Portchester
Operators	Egyptian Navy
Built	1978–1982
In commission	1981–present
Planned	6
Completed	6
Active	4
Laid up	2
General characteristics
Type	Missile boat
Displacement	312 t (307 long tons) full load
Length	52 m (170 ft 7 in) oa
Beam	7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
Draught	2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	4 × diesel engines, 18,000 bhp (13,423 kW) 4 shafts
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	40
Sensors and processing systems	S820 air and surface search radar Cutlass intercept radar 2 × ST802 fire control radars
Electronic warfare & decoys	Cygnus jammer 2 Protean chaff dispensers
Armament	2 × twin Otomat Mk2 SSM 1 × 76 mm (3 in) OTO Melara DP gun 1 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) Breda AA gun

The Ramadan-class missile boat are a series of six missile boats that have been in service with the Egyptian Navy since 1981, which were constructed in the United Kingdom. The first ship was launched in 1979 and entered service in 1981. Four remain in service with two laid up.

Design and description

Based on a British design, the Ramadan class measures 52.0 metres (170 ft 7 in) long overall and 48.0 m (157 ft 6 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in) and a draught of 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in). The missile boats have a standard displacement of 307 tonnes (302 long tons) and a full load displacement of 350 t (340 long tons). The vessels are powered by four MTU 20V538 TB 91 diesel engines turning four propeller shafts creating 18,000 brake horsepower (13,000 kW) and a maximum speed of 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph). The ships have storage for 43.3 t (42.6 long tons; 47.7 short tons) of oil fuel giving them a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

The Ramadan-class missile craft are armed with two twin launchers for Otomat surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs). They also mount one OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3 in) gun forward and a pair of twin-mounted Breda 40 mm (2 in) anti-aircraft guns. They are equipped with Marconi S820 air and surface search radar, S180 radar and two ST802 fire control radars. The two ST802 radars work in tandem with the Marconi Sapphire fire control system alongside two Lawrence Scott optical directors. The ships are also equipped with a Decca-Racal Cygnus jammer, two MEL Protean chaff dispensers and Cutlass intercept radar. These all supply information to the Ferranti CAAIS automated data system. They have a complement of 40.

Ships in class

Construction data
Number	Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Status
561, 670	Ramadan	Vosper Thornycroft, Portchester, United Kingdom	22 September 1978	6 September 1979	20 July 1981	Laid up
562, 674	El Kadesseya		23 February 1979	31 January 1980	15 September 1981	Laid up
563, 672	Khyber		23 April 1979	19 February 1980	6 April 1982	Active
564, 676	El Yarmouk		15 May 1979	12 June 1980	18 May 1982	Active
565, 678	Badr		29 September 1979	17 June 1981	17 June 1982	Active
566, 680	Hettein		29 February 1980	25 November 1980	28 October 1982	Active

Construction and career

The six ships were ordered on 4 September 1977 from Vosper Thornycroft of the United Kingdom. After construction the first pair sailed together for Egypt and arrived on 13 November 1981. The second pair arrived on 23 July 1982 and the third pair in December 1982. In 1998, two of the class had their radars upgraded, followed by the remaining four beginning in 2001. In March 2000, all six vessels had their communications systems upgraded. Beginning in 2007, their CAAIS data system was upgraded to the Nautis-3 command-and-control data system along with an upgrade from the Mk1 Otomats to the Mk2 version. El Kadesseya was taken out of service in 2000, followed by Ramadan in 2005.

References

• Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.

External links

• The class at Hazegray.org
• Picture on Flickr.com