According to a tweet posted by Mahmoud Gamal on April 5, 2022, the future MEKO A200 EN frigate of the Egyptian Navy ENS El Aziz has begun sea trials.
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MEKO A-200 frigate ENS Al Aziz (Picture source: Twitter account of Mahmoud Gamal)
The MEKO A-200 Frigate follows the famous MEKO 200 series general purpose frigates from the ThyssenKrupp stable. A fighting ship capable of full 4-dimensional warfare (AAW, ASW, and ASuW, BCW), the MEKO A-200 Frigate is also designed for sustained operations across the full spectrum of general missions and tasks: patrol and interdiction, support of special force operations, SAR and humanitarian operations.
The frigate is a perfect example of the innovative propulsion, stealth and survivability design, robust sea-keeping, and all-weather boat and helicopter operability that characterizes frigates from Marine Systems.
The MEKO A-200 has greatly reduced radar, IR, acoustic and magnetic signatures to hide and stay hidden: The X-Form shell design; extensive bulwark screening of exposed equipment; flush-closing shell doors, and RCSnet screening of all shell openings, give the vessel very low radar cross-section.
The class of frigates features the revolutionary CODAG-WARP (water jet and refined propellers) propulsion system: two CPP propeller shafts driven by cross-connectable diesel engines plus a center-line, gas turbine-driven water jet, combining the power of each drive in the water with no need for a combining gearbox.
The ship will be armed with 32X VLS (Vertical Launching System) for MICA-NG SAM, which is an anti-air multi-target, all-weather, fire-and-forget short and medium-range missile system designed and manufactured by the company MBDA.
MICA can also be employed as a short-range surface-to-air missile. It is available in a ground-based version, VL MICA, fired from a truck-mounted box launcher, and a naval version, VL MICA-M, fired from a ship-fitted vertical launch system.
