Prior to the Darussalam-class, three
Nakhoda Ragam-classcorvettes were built to order by
BAE Systems Marine (now
BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships) in the United Kingdom for the
Royal Brunei Navy (RBN). The contract was awarded to
GEC-Marconi in 1995, and the ships, a variant of the F2000 design, were launched in January 2001, June 2001 and June 2002, at the then BAE Systems Marine yard at
Scotstoun,
Glasgow in Scotland. Brunei refused to accept the three Nakhoda Ragam-class corvettes from BAE Systems. The contract dispute became subject to
arbitration, and was ultimately settled in BAE System's favour. The vessels were handed over to
Royal Brunei Technical Services (RBTS) in June 2007. In 2007, Brunei contracted the German
Lürssen Werft shipyard to find a new customer for the three ships, and the ships were eventually purchased by
Indonesia.
Offshore patrol vessel programme
Brunei ordered the Darussalam-class
offshore patrol vessels (OPV) from
Lürssen Werft, the same company that Brunei contracted to sell the disputed Nakhoda Ragam-class corvettes.
Keel laying for the first two vessels of this new class took place on 26 June 2009 at Lürssen
shipyard in Germany. The first
tranche of two vessels were launched 12 November 2010 and delivered to the Royal Brunei Navy in January
2011.[1][4][5] The first two were jointly
commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei,
Hassanal Bolkiah on 7 May 2011; 13 years ago (2011-05-07).[1] The second subsequent tranche of two vessels were delivered two phases, the final vessel arriving in Brunei in
2014.