Photo: Presentation of the Builders Plaque for the 72m High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) RNOV Al Mubshir (S11).

Royal Navy of Oman receives its first High Speed Support Vessel

The Royal Navy of Oman has taken possession of its first high speed support vessel, the RNOV Al Mubshir.

The RNOV Al Mubshir is the first of two 72-metre High Speed Support Vessels (HSSVs) to be delivered to the Royal Navy of Oman under a US$124.9 million contract.

Austal began construction of the HSSVs in August 2014 at its Henderson, Western Australia, shipyard. The second HSSV is scheduled to be delivered later this year.

The first-of-class naval vessels are an evolution of the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) platform, developed for the US Navy by Austal, now operating with US Military Sealift Command.

The 38-knot, all-aluminium HSSV carries up to 260 troops and vehicles. Featuring a shallow draft of three metres, a 900sq m vehicle deck, 395-tonne cargo capacity and helicopter capability, the HSSV can support both ocean and coastal missions, the Australian company said.

The vessels were both named in at the West Australian shipyard in mid-April.

The first vessel is the RNOV Al Mubshir, was delivered while the RNOV Al Naasir will be delivered after further fitouts and sea trials.

Speaking at the naming ceremony, RADM Abdullah bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Raisi remarked: “The High Speed Support Vessel is an important new addition to the Royal Navy of Oman fleet and a continuation of a modernisation process that is reinforcing Oman’s naval capabilities and supporting the Sultan Armed Forces (SAF).”

Austal began work on the HSSVs in August 2014 after winning the US$124.9million contract from the RNO in March that year.