The launching ceremony of the Vlissingen, second of the twelve mine countermeasure vessels of the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme, intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy, took place on October 19th 2023 in Concarneau in the presence of the Chiefs of Navy of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Belgian Navy, and the representative of the Chief of Staff of the French Navy. The launching was carried out by Kership, which builds the ships in Concarneau on behalf of Naval Group, general contractor.
Talking to Naval News, Vice Admiral René Tas, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy said:
“We have developed together with France and Belgium, a ship that really matters because if you look at security in the world at the moment, it is more important than ever to have good ships that are fit for purpose. And these ships will be fit for purpose once they are deployed to the Netherlands and Belgium.”
“The whole fleet will be renewed in the coming 10 years. That is not just for the Netherlands, I think it’s for Europe, it’s for the for the allies, for NATO, because we are depending on commercial traffic at sea, not only to get the goods in Europe, but also to make sure that our pipelines on the sea bottom are safe. And these ships are great contribution to making sure that our seas and sea bottoms are safe in the coming decades.“
Olivier de la Bourdonnaye, Naval Group’s Executive Vice President for Surface Ships told Naval News:
“This program is very important for naval group for two main reasons. First, it is the first program for the new generation of mine warfare. So with this program for the Belgian and Netherlands Navies, we are entering in the what we call standoff mine warfare. It is also very important because it is the first time in fact we design and we build a boat that will operate so many unmanned vehicles in three dimensions. So UAV, USV and UUV. So we are really entering a new way of thinking and operating at sea.“
“We already have an order for 12 ships for Belgium and for the Netherlands. So it’s quite an important program for Naval Group and its partners. We are really now in the in the deep of the construction. Oostende has been launched the beginning of the year. This is the second ship that is launched. We have more than six ships now in production. But you’re right on top. Now, we have the perspective also to add an additional order from from France, who has decided to join the program. They signed a memorandum of understanding with Belgium and with the Netherlands and now France will enter in fact in this very important program for us […] France will order six additional ships.”
This programme was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail, following an international competition. It provides for the supply to the Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy of twelve mine countermeasures vessels and around a hundred drones integrated inside a toolbox that will equip the vessels.
Naval Group, as overall architect and prime contractor, is responsible for the design of the ships, the overall integration, and the testing and commissioning of the mission system (combat system and mine countermeasures system).
Kership, a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou, is in charge of the production of the twelve vessels which are assembled in Concarneau and Lanester.
Exail, as co-contractor, is in charge of the unmanned drones’ system. Most of these drones will be produced in Ostend, Belgium. The maintenance of the ships will be carried out in Belgium in close collaboration between the Belgian Navy and Naval Group Belgium, with the assistance of its partner Flanders Ship Repair.
The Vlissingen, second vessel of the program and first one intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy, will be delivered in 2025.
The first vessel, Oostende, intended for the Belgian Navy, has been launched on March 29th 2023, while the keel for the third of the twelve vessels, the M941 Tournai, also intended for the Belgian Navy, was laid. The keel of the fourth vessel, the Scheveningen, second vessel intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy, was laid on July 19th 2023.
The delivery of the Oostende is scheduled for the end of 2024 in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Deliveries of the other vessels will then be staggered until 2030.
