Saudi Arabia floats newest naval vessel built in US state of Wisconsin

Saudi Arabia has floated its newest naval vessel, His Majesty King Saud, from the US state of Wisconsin this week, the first of four multi-mission combat ships being constructed under the Kingdom’s Tuwaiq Project.

The vessel, built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader effort to modernize its fleet with advanced technologies, enhanced training, and expanded operational capabilities. The Tuwaiq Project is a central component of that plan, aimed at developing a more agile and sophisticated naval force capable of meeting emerging maritime threats.

Saudi Chief of Naval Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Ghuraibi attended the ceremony alongside senior Saudi and US officials. Representatives from Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri, the companies involved in the shipbuilding program, were also present.

In remarks during the ceremony, Lt. Gen. Al-Ghuraibi highlighted the “unlimited support” the RSNF receives from the Saudi leadership.

He said the Tuwaiq Project significantly boosts the Navy’s readiness to protect the Kingdom’s strategic interests and secure vital maritime routes. The ships, he noted, will be equipped to conduct a wide range of missions, including engaging aerial, surface, and subsurface threats.

Separately, Al-Ghuraibi met with Chief of US Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two navies, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defense.