Muscat: The Royal Navy of Oman's (RNO) second corvette ship, Al Rahmani, has been commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Base.
According to BAE systems, it's the second corvette out of three designed and built by the company for the RNO.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by Syed Badir Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Oman's Minister responsible for Defence Affairs, as well as Lord Astor, the Undersecretary of State for Defence in the UK and Rear Admiral Abdullah Bin Khamis Bin Abdullah Al Raisi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO), in addition to a number of VIPs and representatives of the RNO and the UK Royal Navy.
This event reflects the strategic importance given to these state-of-the-art corvettes by the Sultanate of Oman and the UK, at a time when BAE Systems is seeking to boost its exports worldwide.
The commissioning of Al Rahmani comes under the Khareef contract, signed by the two sides in 2007, as a result of which BAE Systems are building three 99-metre corvette ships.
The ships have the capacity to spend prolonged periods at sea. They're designed to reinforce the RNO capabilities and support the Naval Force in the protection of the international waters and the surveillance of the EEZ (Exclusive Economic sea Zone).
"We have been building ships for the RNO for over 30 years and are proud of the close working relationship we have developed, which is helping us to deliver the extremely sophisticated naval capability to the Royal Navy of Oman that you see here today," said Alan Johnston, Managing Director of BAE Systems' Surface Ships division.
"By the almighty blessing, RNO celebrated the commissioning of the ship, named Al Rahmani, the second ship of the Khareef Project to enter the service," said Rear Admiral Abdullah Bin Khamis Bin Abdullah Al Raisi.
"This project comes as an outcome of the continuous military cooperation between RNO and Royal Navy and enhances the excellent ties between RNO and BAE Systems, assigned with Project Khareef," he added.
The first ship, named Al Shamikh, was commissioned in July 2009 and will set sail for the first time later this year.
