RBNS Sabha (90) (Arabic: ﺱﻡﺏ صبحا) is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate in service with the Royal Bahrain Naval Force. The ship was former United States Navy frigate USS Jack Williams (FFG-24). The frigate is now considered as the lead frigate of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force.
_underway_in_the_Arabian_Gulf_on_16_January_2018_(180116-N-GP724-2098).jpg) RBNS Sabha transits the Persian Gulf on 16 January 2018
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) |
| Namesake | Jack Williams |
| Ordered | 28 February 1977 |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down | 25 February 1980 |
| Launched | 30 August 1980 |
| Commissioned | 19 September 1981 |
| Decommissioned | 13 September 1996 |
| Fate |
|
 Bahrain | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Sabha sea fort, Zubarah |
| Acquired | 13 September 1996 |
| Commissioned | 25 February 1997 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate |
| Displacement | 4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load |
| Length | 453 feet (138 m), overall |
| Beam | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Draft | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | over 29 knots (54 km/h) |
| Range | 5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h) |
| Complement | 15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters |
Construction and career
editDuring its career as USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) in the United States, it was the sixteenth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates. It was named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
The frigate was ordered from Bath Iron Works on 28 February 1977 as part of the FY77 Program. Jack Williams was laid down on 25 February 1980; launched on 30 August 1980 and commissioned on 19 September 1981. Decommissioned and stricken on 13 September 1996, she was transferred to Bahrain the same day as a gift.
The ship was formally recommissioned as the RBNS Sabha (90) on 25 February 1997.[1] The frigate was named after a sea fort in Zubarah (located in today Qatar), historically belonged to Al Khalifa royal family of Bahrain.[2] Sabha arrived in the Persian Gulf in June 1997 for a workup and crew training.[1]
Sabha participated in Saudi-led Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen, returning to Bahraini waters in December 2015.[3]
Citations
edit- ^ a b Saunders 2015, p. 46
- ^ ""الفرقاطة صبحا".. دخولها سلاح البحرية الملكية من أهم الإنجازات". alayam.com (in Arabic). 18 June 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Frigate Sabha returns to Bahrain". khaleejtimes.com. 27 December 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
References
edit- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2015). IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015-2016. IHS Global Limited. ISBN 978-0-7106-3143-5.
See also
editExternal links
editMedia related to RBNS Sabha (FFG 90) at Wikimedia Commons
