Construction on the fourth and last Egyptian Navy Meko A200 frigate is underway at the Egyptian military-owned Alexandria shipyard at the in co-operation with German-based Thysskenkrupp (TKMS).
The Egyptian Meko A200 frigate is considered the most advanced version of type in terms of integrated equipment and weaponry systems according to Egyptian Defense Blog, founded by Mahmoud Gamal.
The Egyptian frigates carrying the designation Meko A200EN for the Egyptian Navy have a displacement ranging from 3 700 to 4 000 tons with a length of 121m. They will be equipped with latest generation Thales NS-110 4D AESA air and surface surveillance radar an advanced and upgraded version of the NS-100 3D radar, decoy launchers for C310 high-performance anti-torpedo counter-measures system, 2× 32 tube laser-decoy launchers for Rheinmetall multi-ammunition softkill system EM/IR (MASS), Thales Scorpion electronic warfare support measures (ECM), SATCOM system for sonar as well. The Egyptian Meko A200 is planned to be fitted with a towed sonar array.
For armament and weaponry it will be fitted with LW 127mm main cannon armed with Vulcano and Dart shells, 32 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) equipped with MICA new generation (NG) surface-to-air missiles, 16× launchers for Exocet anti-ship missiles, Oerlikon Searanger 20mm naval guns, Two torpedo types – DM2A4 Seahake and MU-90- and a helipad and hanger for two helicopters and vertically launched drones are part of the specification.
The Egyptian Navy signed for the purchase of four Meko A200 frigates in 2019 after negotiations with the German company during which the French Naval Group competed for its naval vessels, mainly Gowind corvettes but failed. The Egyptian contract is estimated to be at two billion euros (each frigate worth €500 million)
Two Egyptian Meko A200 frigates are complete and are currently being fitted with weaponry systems and equipment with third frigate in the final construction phase in Bremerhaven, Germany. It will take around six months to complete integration before sea trials ahead of transit to Egypt the Egyptian Defense Blog has it.
