FORCETALLY
Loading the evidence…
Preparing your view.
Preparing your view.
WarshipsIn active serviceProfile in progress
Multi-mission frigate
Equatoguinean frigate Wele Nzas is a multi-mission frigate originating in Ukraine. It was built by MTG Dolphin Shipyard, Varna, Bulgaria Astilleros de Guinea Ecuatorial S.A., Malabo , Equatorial Guinea.
UkraineNo check recorded yet.
No check recorded yet.
No check recorded yet.
No check recorded yet.
No check recorded yet.
Wele Nzas
Wele-Nzas Province
MTG Dolphin Shipyard, Varna, Bulgaria Astilleros de Guinea Ecuatorial S.A., Malabo , Equatorial Guinea
21 May 2012
26 February 2013
3 June 2014
Pennant number : F073
In active service
Multi-mission frigate
2,500 tonnes (2,500 long tons )
107 m (351 ft 1 in)
14 m (45 ft 11 in)
3.7 m (12 ft)
4 × Caterpillar C280 diesel engines 2 × shafts
25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi)
Positiv-U air/surface search radar Delta-M fire control radar w/ Cascade self-defense system ESM antenna SATCOM antenna 2 × navigation radars 2 opto-electronic FCS
2 × 76.2 mm AK-176 guns 2 × 30 mm AK-630 M autocannons 2 × 140 mm MS-227 22-barreled rocket launchers
1 × helicopter
Flight deck
Wele Nzas (F073) is a Ukrainian-designed, Bulgarian-built multi-mission frigate of the Navy of Equatorial Guinea .
Wele Nzas has a length of 107 m (351 ft 1 in), a beam of 14 m (45 ft 11 in) and draft of 3.7 m (12 ft 2 in). The frigate has estimated displacement of 2,500 tonnes (2,500 long tons ) and is powered by four Caterpillar C280 diesel engines connected to two screws . She has a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and range of 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi).
The ship is armed with two 76.2 mm AK-176 naval guns, each on fore and aft of the ship, two 30 mm AK-630 M autocannons located in either side of the funnel , and two MS-227 140 mm 22-barreled rocket launchers in front of the bridge . In addition, the ship could be fitted with guided missiles on the midship.
The ship was designed by Asaba Design Center in Mykolaiv , Ukraine. Her keel was laid on 21 May 2012 at MTG Dolphin Shipyard in Varna, Bulgaria . The ship was launched on 26 February 2013 as the salvage and rescue vessel Savior (IMO: 9664500) under Project SV 02. She was procured from Bulgaria using proxy entities in Panama and the Comoros. The ship was then fitted with weaponry in a 210 m (690 ft) navy-owned floating dock at Malabo harbor, Equatorial Guinea by the Astilleros de Guinea Ecuatorial S.A. (ASABA GE) with the help of Ukrainian technicians. Armament and combat systems used on the ship was probably sourced by Impulse 2, a Ukrainian company.
Wele Nzas was commissioned on 3 June 2014 in a ceremony at Malabo harbor by the President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo . The president declared the frigate as the flagship of Equatorial Guinenan Navy. The ship was named after the Province of Wele-Nzas . She served as deterrent against threats of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea .
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
Equatoguinean frigate Wele Nzas equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
Equatorial GuineaNavy exact named equipment holdings: Wele Nzas. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: PRINCIPAL SURFACE COMBATANTS / FF. Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.