The class has been relegated to a coastal defence role following the modernisation of the Saudi fleet.

In January 1972, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the United States to set up a 10-year programme to greatly enlarge the Saudi Navy, previously a small coastal patrol force.

The programme envisaged the construction in the United States of a series of corvettes as well as other warships such as minesweepers and amphibious warfare ships.

[3] They are powered by one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine rated at 23,000 shaft horsepower (17,000 kW) and two MTU 12V625 TB91 diesel engines (rated at a total of 3,058 brake horsepower (2,280 kW)) in a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) arrangement, driving two controllable pitch propellers.

The ships have a range of 4,000 nautical miles (4,600 mi; 7,400 km) at 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h).