The frigate Al Dammam, is an expanded anti-air version of the French La Fayette class, displacing about 4,700 t (5,181 short tons) and extended to 133 m (436 ft 4 in) in length.

[3] The ships' combat system, produced by Armaris (a Direction des Constructions Navales/Thales Group joint venture), is armed with Aster 15 Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) launched from SYLVER vertical launchers (SYLVER - SYstème de Lancement VERtical).

As with the La Fayette class, the primary offensive weapon is the anti-surface Exocet missile.

Al Riyadh is capable of a maximum speed of ~46 kilometres per hour (29 mph; 25 kn) with a maximum range of 13,000 kilometres (8,078 mi; 7,019 nmi).

[3][4] Al Dammam was launched on 7 September 2002 at the DCNS shipyard in Lorient and commissioned on 23 October 2004.