Naval Systems

Baynunah class

Also known as
  • Baynunah-class corvette
  • Baynunah 71-metre corvette
  • UAENS Baynunah
  • Al Dhafra P-173
  • Combattante BR70
  • Combattante BR71
  • BR71 Mk II

The Baynunah class is a six-ship United Arab Emirates Navy corvette program that paired Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie design work with Abu Dhabi Ship Building construction and transfer-of-technology activity. The compact 71-metre ships combine patrol, surveillance, interdiction, helicopter operations, anti-surface missiles, and point air defense, and open reporting places Baynunah-class corvettes in Saudi-led coalition naval operations off Yemen.

Baynunah class, Multi-mission corvette, Naval Systems
Image source: Baynunah-class corvette Al Dhafra at NAVDEX

Role in Conflicts

2014 Yemen Civil War
InterdictionForce Protection

UAE Navy Baynunah-class corvettes operated with Saudi-led coalition naval forces off Yemen. Washington Institute analysis identified Baynunah-class corvettes as significant naval assets in the blockade, Baird Maritime placed UAE Baynunah missile corvettes in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden operations, and Defense News reported two Baynunah corvettes on southern Red Sea patrols supporting anti-Houthi operations in Yemen.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United Arab Emirates / France
Type
Multi-mission corvette
Service note
Designed in the 2000s; UAE Navy service from 2011
Designer
Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie
Designed
Early 2000s
Produced
First ship under construction by 2007; launches from 2009 to 2014
Number built
6

Specifications

Displacement
955 tonnes full load in the ADSB/EDGE product flyer; other open references list about 844-915 tonnes full load
Length
71.3 m overall
Beam
11 m approx.
Draft
3.5 m approx. in the ADSB/EDGE product flyer
Propulsion
Four MTU 16V595 TE90 diesel engines driving three Kamewa waterjets
Maximum speed
29-32 knots depending on source
Range
1,910 nmi at 15 knots in the ADSB/EDGE flyer; 2,400 nmi reported by Defense News
Endurance
14 days
Complement
55 officers and crew plus 5 VIPs in the ADSB/EDGE flyer
Armament
76 mm main gun, two 27 mm side guns, anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missile launcher, and Rolling Airframe Missile / ESSM self-defense fit
Mission systems
Combat management system with threat-evaluation and weapon-assignment capability, 3D radar, fire-control radar, electronic-warfare systems, electro-optical system, and laser ESM
Aviation
Helicopter deck and hangar arrangement
Mission And Combat Fit

The Baynunah design fits coastal patrol and surveillance into a compact corvette hull, but the public sources also describe interdiction, mine-detection, helicopter, anti-surface, and air-defense roles.

Core missions

ADSB's product flyer lists coastal patrol, surveillance, mine detection, helicopter operations, maritime interdiction, support to friendly forces, and anti-air/anti-surface capability.

Combat-system layer

The same flyer describes a combat management system controlling major onboard weapons with threat-evaluation and weapon-assignment capability.

Yemen maritime use

Open reporting places Baynunah corvettes in Saudi-led coalition patrol and naval-operation activity off Yemen rather than only in peacetime UAE coastal service.

Sources: ADSB Baynunah 71-metre Corvette Flyer; UAE commissions latest home-built corvette; Major naval operations off Yemen.

Variants

Public sources treat Baynunah as the UAE Navy's BR70/BR71 corvette baseline, with BR71 Mk II used for the later Angolan derivative developed through the same CMN and Abu Dhabi Ship Building partnership.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Baynunah / BR71UAE Navy baseline class

The UAE program produced six 71-metre corvettes, with the first built at CMN's Cherbourg yard and the remaining five built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building in Abu Dhabi.

Sources: UAE commissions latest home-built corvette, ADSB Celebrates Another Baynunah Keel Laying

BR71 Mk IIAngolan Navy derivative

CMN Naval describes BR71 Mk II as an advanced Baynunah-class variant, and ADSB/EDGE reporting describes a three-corvette Angolan program with CMN construction and ADSB technology-transfer cooperation.

Sources: The BR71 Mk II, EDGE Launches BR71 MK II Corvette for Angolan Navy, Video: First BR71 MKII Corvette for Angola launched by CMN

Shipboard Air-Defense Missiles

Open sources identify Rolling Airframe Missile and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile launchers in the Baynunah air-defense fit.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, Ship-launched surface-to-air missile, MunitionsRIM-116 Rolling Airframe MissilePoint-defense missile

GlobalSecurity lists a Mk49 mod 3 guided missile launcher with 21 RAM Block A1 missiles on the class.

Sources: Baynunah Corvette, UAE commissions latest home-built corvette

Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, Ship self-defense missile, MunitionsEvolved Sea Sparrow MissileShort-to-medium range air-defense missile

GlobalSecurity lists four Raytheon Mk 56 dual-pack vertical-launch cells with eight RIM-162C ESSM missiles as part of the class's anti-air fit.

Sources: Baynunah Corvette, UAE commissions latest home-built corvette

Fitted Guns
Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
OTO 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun, 76 mm rapid-fire naval gun mount, Naval SystemsOTO 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun76 mm main gun

GlobalSecurity identifies the Baynunah main gun as an OTO Melara 76 mm/62 weapon, while ADSB reporting notes the main gun installation during Mezyad construction.

Sources: Baynunah Corvette, Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette

Marineleichtgeschütz 27 mm, 27 mm remote-controlled naval gun, Naval SystemsMarineleichtgeschütz 27 mm27 mm side guns

GlobalSecurity lists two Rheinmetall MLG 27 27 mm side guns on the class, and ADSB reporting says Mezyad's side guns were installed before launch.

Sources: Baynunah Corvette, Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette

Unlinked fitted systems

The same source set identifies MM40 Block III Exocet anti-ship missiles and Panther helicopter facilities, but no exact public MM40 Exocet or AS565 Panther catalog record was found during this run.

Sources: Baynunah Corvette, Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette

Timeline

Baynunah class Key Events

  1. Original UAE contract signed

    GlobalSecurity reports that the UAE government signed the original Baynunah contract with Abu Dhabi Ship Building at the end of 2003 for four vessels.

    Sources: Baynunah Corvette

  2. Two additional vessels ordered

    The UAE government exercised an option for two more Baynunah-class corvettes, bringing the program to six ships.

    Sources: Baynunah Corvette

  3. CMN role documented during ADSB construction milestone

    MarineLink reported the first ship under construction at CMN's Cherbourg shipyard and described CMN as designer, first-vessel constructor, and provider of technology-transfer, logistics, and training support.

    Sources: ADSB Celebrates Another Baynunah Keel Laying

  4. Mezyad launched at Abu Dhabi Ship Building

    ADSB launched Mezyad, the fourth vessel in the Baynunah Corvette Class Program and the third Baynunah hull constructed by ADSB.

    Sources: Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette

  5. Sixth Baynunah commissioned

    Defense News reported Al Hili entering service as the sixth and final Baynunah-class corvette, completing the UAE Navy class.

    Sources: UAE commissions latest home-built corvette

  6. Baynunah corvettes reported off Yemen

    Washington Institute analysis and Baird Maritime reporting placed UAE Baynunah-class corvettes in Saudi-led coalition naval operations around Yemen.

    Sources: Gulf Coalition Operations in Yemen, Major naval operations off Yemen

  7. BR71 Mk II derivative launched for Angola

    CMN launched NRA Ekuikui II, the first BR71 Mk II corvette for Angola, under a three-ship program involving ADSB cooperation and technology-transfer arrangements.

    Sources: EDGE Launches BR71 MK II Corvette for Angolan Navy, Video: First BR71 MKII Corvette for Angola launched by CMN

Construction Pattern

The program is important industrially because it combined a French first-of-class build and design-transfer role with serial construction in Abu Dhabi.

Vessel or batchBuilder contextSource-backed note
BaynunahCMN, CherbourgThe first vessel was built at CMN's Cherbourg yard under subcontract to Abu Dhabi Ship Building.
Al Hesen to Al HiliADSB, Abu DhabiDefense News reported the other five ships were built by Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding in Abu Dhabi, with Al Hili completing the six-ship class in 2017.
BR71 Mk IICMN and ADSBThe Angolan derivative keeps the CMN/ADSB pattern: ADSB is prime contractor, CMN builds two corvettes, and ADSB builds one in Abu Dhabi after technology transfer.

Sources: Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy Corvette; UAE commissions latest home-built corvette; EDGE Launches BR71 MK II Corvette for Angolan Navy; Video: First BR71 MKII Corvette for Angola launched by CMN.

Media

Baynunah class Videos

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Sources

Baynunah CorvettePublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Baynunah-class mission, specifications, original UAE contract context, CMN design role, first-of-class construction in France, and ADSB transfer-of-technology context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13ADSB Celebrates Another Baynunah Keel LayingPublisher: MarineLink / Maritime Activity Reports | Note: Supports the June 2007 ADSB construction milestone, CMN design role, first-vessel construction at Cherbourg, technology-transfer role, and program split between France and Abu Dhabi. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Abu Dhabi Ship Building Launches UAE Navy CorvettePublisher: MarineLink / Maritime Activity Reports | Note: Supports the Mezyad launch, ADSB construction role, key Baynunah features, six-ship UAE Navy program, and first-vessel CMN subcontract context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13ADSB Baynunah 71-metre Corvette FlyerPublisher: Abu Dhabi Ship Building / EDGE Group | Note: Supports Baynunah mission profile, dimensions, displacement, propulsion, combat-system, sensor, armament, crew, endurance, and range specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-13UAE commissions latest home-built corvettePublisher: Defense News | Note: Supports Al Hili commissioning, six-ship completion, first-vessel CMN build, five ADSB-built ships, selected specifications, RAM/ESSM launcher supplier context, and direct 2014 Yemen Civil War use by reporting two Baynunah corvettes on southern Red Sea patrols supporting anti-Houthi operations in Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Major naval operations off YemenPublisher: Baird Maritime | Note: Supports direct 2014 Yemen Civil War use by placing UAE Navy Baynunah missile corvettes among Saudi-led coalition warships operating off Yemen in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including patrols tied to arms-smuggling interdiction and naval operations. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Gulf Coalition Operations in YemenPublisher: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Note: Supports direct 2014 Yemen Civil War use by identifying Baynunah-class corvettes from the United Arab Emirates as significant naval assets deployed for the Saudi-led coalition maritime blockade and search/interdiction operation around Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-07-13The BR71 Mk IIPublisher: CMN NAVAL | Note: Supports the BR71 Mk II as an advanced Baynunah-class derivative and defensive air/surface-threat design context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13EDGE Launches BR71 MK II Corvette for Angolan NavyPublisher: Abu Dhabi Ship Building / EDGE Group | Note: Supports the 2026 launch of the first Angolan BR71 Mk II corvette, ADSB prime-contractor role, CMN first and third vessel construction, ADSB second-vessel construction in Abu Dhabi, and technology-transfer cooperation. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Video: First BR71 MKII Corvette for Angola launched by CMNPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports BR71 Mk II as a Baynunah-class/BR71 Mk I evolution, the Angolan three-ship program, CMN and ADSB construction split, and derivative mission/weapon context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13CMN Launches BR71 MkII NRA EKUIKUI IIPublisher: CMN NAVAL | Note: Supports the 2026 launch of a BR71 MkII corvette at CMN's Cherbourg shipyard and the related three-ship Angolan Navy program. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Baynunah-class corvette Al Dhafra at NAVDEXPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for Al Dhafra P-173 at NAVDEX in February 2015; file page identifies author Mztourist and Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International licensing. | Accessed: 2026-07-13