Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), the UAE’s leader in the design, new build, repair, maintenance, refit, and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, held a keel laying ceremony for its new 45-metre Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), the RABDAN FA-400. The ceremony marks a major milestone in the vessel’s development, symbolising the official start of the build process and reaffirming ADSB’s commitment to offering advanced naval vessels designed and built entirely in the UAE. The OPV will be demonstrated at NAVDEX 2025, where its capabilities will be showcased to key stakeholders.
This RABDAN FA-400 represents the latest in ADSB’s line of products, designed with full intellectual property (IP) ownership and constructed entirely in the UAE. The vessel is engineered for superior seakeeping capabilities across territorial and offshore missions and offers versatile support for military, search and rescue, surveillance, and coastal patrol operations. This ceremony not only marks the beginning of the build process but also highlights ADSB’s mission to provide state-of-the-art naval vessels that bolster the UAE’s maritime security and operational readiness.
The vessel accommodates 30 passengers and crew, and offers a speed at half load of more than 30 knots and a range of 1,500 nautical miles at 14 knots. Combined with a multiple sophisticated combat and C4I systems, including long-range anti-ship missile, decoy launching, and both 12.7mm and 30mm guns, the vessel brings advanced capabilities to a wide portfolio of offshore operations. To ensure the ship structure is ready for all expected service loads, the main deck and structural members below deck are constructed of class-approved marine-grade steel, while the superstructure of welded marine-grade aluminium alloy is connected to the steel hull by means of a bimetal joint to avoid electrolytic corrosion.
Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) specialises in the build, repair, maintenance, refit, and conversion of naval and commercial Ships. With 25 years of service to the UAE and beyond, the company are one of the most experienced shipyards building company. ADSB deploy the latest technologies, including robotics, to maximise fleet readiness, extend ship lifetimes, and lower overall lifecycle costs. ADSB is a part of the Platforms & Systems cluster at EDGE Group. EDGE Group is an Emirati advanced technology and defence conglomerate comprising 25 companies involved in military and civilian products, and technologies.