TUNISIA-NAVY FRIGATE Tunisia unveils new navy frigate made in the country

Record ID: 143074

  • Title: TUNISIA-NAVY FRIGATE Tunisia unveils new navy frigate made in the country
  • Date: 21st August 2015
  • Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (AUGUST 21, 2015) (REUTERS) JOURNALIST ON WHARF WITH THE "ISTIQLAL" PATROLLER SHIP THE "ISTIQLAL" PATROLLER SHIP ON THE WHARF SIGN READING IN ARABIC "ISTIQLAL"(INDEPENDENCE) FARHAT HORCHANI, MINISTER OF DEFENCE, SHAKING HANDS OF OFFICERS FARHAT HORCHANI, MINISTER OF DEFENCE,TALKING TO MOHAMED EL KHAMASSI, THE NAVAL CHIEF OF STAFF TUNISIAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (A
  • Embargoed: 5th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABKEJ0ZPP4UBP2I3D1XWDMQPFW
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Tunisia has been showing off its new frigate 'Istiqlal' to the media -- the first such patroller built in its entirety in the country by the Tunisian navy.
    The 27-metre long patroller was designed by naval academy students and experts, with the project beginning in 2012 and requiring 90,000 hour sof work.
    Commander Makram Touzri is the naval architect who was in charge of the project.
    "The design of this marine artefact was based on final year projects and research units of the navy academy and the work of the electronic and mechanical research departments," he said.
    The design plans were executed by the Tunisian Ministry of Defence in collaboration with a private company SCIN.
    "This is the first accomplishment not only in Tunisia, but in Africa, with the exception of South Africa. This establishes an important point. First of all, Tunisian youth in the Ministry of Defence are capable of achieving the impossible. Second, this is a successful partnership and the first one between the public and the private sector," said Minister of Defence Farhat Horchani.
    The ship cost some 40 per cent less than similar vessels on the international market, according to officials.
    "We aim to develop the military industry in Tunisia, since we are used to importing military equipment. We want to help create new jobs opportunities for our civilian partners. Today we produce a patroller ship, tomorrow, why not equipment for the army, the air force or the joint services. This gives us the ability to not depend on other countries, during hard and strategic times, to be self-sufficient for our military industry," said Captain Zouhayr al Joundli.
    He went onto explain the symbolism of the ship's name - 'Istiqlal' or 'independence'.
    "Istiqlal (Independence) was named after the first ship that we bought, that we was given by the French navy after independence. Above all, we aspire for it to be the symbol of independence in the marine industry, since it is the first patroller made in Tunisia," he said.
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