Israel Shipyards has started sea trials of a third Shaldag MK II patrol craft to be sent to the navy of Senegal midway through this year. Senegal is making headway in its ambitious programme to strengthen its maritime surveillance capacities. In November 2019, Israeli Shipyards company concluded an agreement with Senegal to supply the latter with 4 patrol boats – three Shaldag Mk.2 and one Shaldag Mk.5. Three Shaldag Mk.2 boats have already been built. The first two were delivered to Senegal at the end of 2019, their names are Anambe and Soungrougrou. The third boat is being tested and should be handed over to Senegal in the middle of this year. The agreement also includes training for personnel, boat maintenance and technical support.
The Shaldag-class fast patrol boats (FPBs) are built by Israel Shipyards Limited (ISL) to meet the challenging coastal security requirements of navies across the globe. The Shaldag was designed in the late 1990s, integrating valuable improvements created by Israeli defense experts in response to real-life security challenges. The SHALDAG is most valued for security tasks where high intercept speeds and easy maneuverability are required. In addition, the vessel is equipped with highly advanced weapons systems, produced by world-recognized Israeli designers. The Shaldag-class is available in three versions, namely MK II, MK III/IV, and MK V.
The Shaldag MK II has an overall length of 24.8m, maximum beam of 6m, and a maximum draft of 1.15m. It has the capacity to carry eight to ten crew members and can travel up to 650nm at a standard speed of 33kt. The Shaldag MK V is an advanced variant compared to the other two variants in terms of performance and physical attributes. It has an overall length of 31.2m, draft of 1.25m, and moulded beam of 6.4m. The fast patrol boat can be armed with a 23mm-25mm TYPHOON automatic gun, two 12.7mm or 7.62mm MINI-TYPHOON heavy machine guns, and other manually operated guns of similar configuration. It can also carry up to eight short-range anti-ship missiles to engage targets at sea or on the coastline.
