Video Shows New Saudi Warship Built at US Shipyard
Saudi Arabia unveiled a new U.S.-built combat ship, His Majesty King Saud, strengthening its role as a key regional partner of Washington. The Saudi Navy floated the new vessel in Wisconsin, the defense ministry said.
Why It Matters
Saudi Arabia has been strengthening its defense capabilities and has become one of the world's top arms buyers as it seeks to also modernize its naval forces with advanced military technologies, which Riyadh has long relied on U.S. defense companies to supply.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Donald Trump strengthened bilateral ties, signing multiple defense agreements and advancing major arms procurement deals during a White House meeting in November. Trump has designated the kingdom as a major non-NATO ally and agreed to sell it F-35 jets.
What To Know
The vessel is an advanced combat ship capable of engaging aerial, surface, and subsurface threats, according to the chief of staff of the Saudi Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Construction of the vessel began in 2021, as part of the Tuwaiq project in cooperation with the U.S., including crew training and provision of logistical, technical, and operational support, according to the Saudi Gazette.
In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded contract totaling $450 million to begin the detailed design and planning for construction of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatants (MMSC) to be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, and in 2019 Italian state-owned shipbuilder Fincantieri won a contract worth $1.3 billion to build the ships.
The MMSCs are based on the Freedom‑variant Littoral Combat Ship, featuring a Vertical Launch System, a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and speeds exceeding 30 knots, the equivalent of about 35 mph on land. It integrates anti‑air and anti‑surface warfare capabilities, allowing the ship to operate effectively in both near‑shore and open‑ocean environments.
“The MMSC provides the Royal Saudi Naval Forces a lethal and highly maneuverable multi-mission surface combatant,” Lockheed said at the time.
What People Are Saying
The Saudi Defense Ministry wrote on X Tuesday: “The Tuwaiq Project is considered one of the main and qualitative projects in the development journey of the naval forces, to enhance its readiness in protecting the Kingdom’s strategic interests and securing vital maritime routes.”
What Happens Next
The ship is the first of four multi-mission combat ships to be built.
Newsweek
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 9:23 AM.