Riyadh, October 14, 2022, SPA -- Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) celebrated the laying ceremony of the main keel of the second ship of the "Tuwaiq Project", which was officially named "His Majesty King Fahd's Ship", in Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. The ship's Keel laying ceremony was attended by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) Lt. Gen. Fahd Bin Abdullah Al-Ghufaili, the military attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Washington and Ottawa, senior officers of the Saudi and American naval forces, and several officials from Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri. On this occasion, the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, in a speech, expressed his happiness with this major event in the manufacturing stages of the "His Majesty King Fahd's Ship", praising the unlimited support provided by the Saudi leadership. The Tuwaiq Project is one of the main projects for the development of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and includes four multi-tasking combat ships that possess the latest advanced combat systems in all naval operations against air, surface, and subsurface targets. These ships will contribute to raising the level of combat readiness of the naval forces, enhancing maritime security in the region, and protecting the strategic and vital interests of the Kingdom. The project includes qualifying and training ship crews, providing training simulators, logistical services, and technical and logistical support. It will also contribute to the transfer and localization of many technical capabilities, to achieve and activate the announcement of HRH the Crown Prince to localize 50% of the total military spending by 2030, which enhances the capabilities of the national companies as well as creating job and training opportunities for Saudi youth, thus raising the contribution of citizens in this vital industry. --SPA 21:11 LOCAL TIME 18:11 GMT 0012 www.spa.gov.sa/w1798150