Al Riyadh 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.

[4] The frigate's 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 (25 kn; 29 mph) with a maximum range of 13,000 kilometres (7,019 nmi; 8,078 mi).

[4][5] Al Riyadh was launched on 1 August 2000 at the DCNS dockyard in Lorient and commissioned on 26 July 2002.