Dutch State Secretary Barbara Visser and her German counterpart Benedikt Zimmer signed the agreement via visio conference.
“Both countries will collaborate in the field of research and development and acquisition, among other things. The countries are working on equal operational requirements”.
Dutch MoD
Barbara Visser added that “It is also the intention that the industries of our countries will benefit optimally from this.”
For the record, the ties between the Dutch and German naval defense industry are already strong, with Damen and Thales NL taking a key role for the F126/MKS180 frigate program. F126 is a future large (Length: approximately 155 meters at waterline, Displacement: maximum 9,000 tonnes) surface combatant of the German Navy (Deutsche Marine).
Meanwhile, Damen is also fully involved in the M-frigates (Karel Doorman-class) replacement program for both the Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) and Belgian Navy (Marinecomponent/Composante marine).
About Sachsen-class / F124 frigates
The German Navy has a total of three Sachsen-class F124 frigates. They are designed as multi-purpose vessels for escort, protection and maritime control. Its focus is on air defense: With its SMART-L radar, a single vessel class can, for example, monitor the airspace over the entire North Sea. The radar of the Sachsen-class is able to detect more than 1,000 targets at the same time.
Sachsen-class frigates are fitted with 32x Mk41 VLS for SM-2 and ESSM missiles and two RAM launchers. The can also deploy Harpoon anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.
General characteristics
143.0 m in length
17.4 m wide
6.0 m draft
5,800 t displacement
Crew complement: 230 sailors + 13 aircrew
About De Zeven Provinciën-class / LCF Frigates
The Royal Netherlands Navy has 4 air defense and command frigates (LCF) of the De Zeven Provinciën-class. The ships can protect a complete fleet from enemy threats from the sea and from the air (aircraft and missiles). Specialized in anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) vessel, LCF vessels are fitted with 40x Mk41 Vertical Launch Systems which are used to house and launch Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) and SM-2 Block IIIA missiles.
In addition, the ships are equipped to allow the deployable and operational command staff of the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Netherlands Maritime Force (NLMARFOR), to control large-scale (maritime) operations.
The first-in-class ship received her SMART-L Multi Mission radar upgrade from Thales in March 2019. All four ships of the class will be upgraded with the new radar (and other systems) as part of a modernization programme. This new radar is capable of BMD mission (surveillance and tracking of ballistic missiles) up to 2000 km while simultaneous maintaining the air defence capability. The Dutch Defence Material Organisation (DMO) announced in April 2020 that it has selected Italian company Leonardo to supply new 127mm naval gun systems.
LCF Specifications
displacement: 6,050 tons
length: 144 meters
width: 17 meters
draft: 7 meters
speed: 30 knots
