The Dutch Ministry of Defence, Damen, and also Thales have actually authorized the agreement for the layout, building and construction, and also distribution of 4 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates; 2 for the Netherlands and also 2 for Belgium, concentrated on anti-submarine war.
The arrangement was joined HNLMS Karel Doorman, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s largest ship, by the Dutch Defence State Secretary Christophe van der Maat, Damen Shipyards Group CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Arnout Damen, Damen Naval Managing Director Roland Briene, and also Thales Netherlands CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Gerben Edelijn.
The ASW frigates are the substitutes for the present Karel Doorman Class multi-purpose frigates. They can be released for several jobs; nonetheless, the focus will certainly get on anti-submarine war
The ships will certainly have hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and also will certainly be developed to cruise as silently as feasible, to stay clear of discovery by submarines as high as feasible. On board will certainly be an extensive collection of sensing units to identify submarines, Damen claimed.
The frigates will certainly gauge 145 meters in size, with an 18-meter beam of light. They will certainly have a draft of 5.5 meters at a variation of 6,400 tonnes. On board, there will certainly be space for a 117-strong staff and also ability for added workers to cruise with them.
Among various other points, the ASW frigates will certainly be geared up with an Under Water Warfare Suite (UWWS), an Above Water Warfare System (AWWS) and also undersea decoys.
The ships will certainly be equipped with a 76mm weapon, MK54 torpedoes, Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and also the Naval Strike Missile.The frigate can likewise fit various other tools, such as even more effective projectiles and alsoHigh Energy Lasers There are likewise unmanned craft and also airplane aboard for usage on and also under water in addition to airborne.
Dutch State Secretary Christophe van der Maat: “The acquisition of the ASW frigates is taking place in the way I prefer: through intensive cooperation, between countries, armed forces, and industry. In time, the result will be an innovative and powerful weapon system. This will benefit us as direct users, but also Europe and NATO.”
“This is a wonderful project and a special new chapter for our Damen Naval division,” claimed Damen Shipyards Group CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERArnout Damen “We are proud to be building these beautiful frigates and look forward to working with the many, mostly Dutch, partners and suppliers on this project. With these launching customer projects, we retain vital knowledge in our own country and thus maintain our place in the world’s top tier of complex naval construction. More importantly, the crews of the Dutch and Belgian navies get state-of-the-art frigates to carry out their crucial tasks.”
“We are delighted that Thales has again been selected to supply sensor and fire control systems for a new class of ships for the Royal Netherlands Navy,” claimed Gerben Edelijn, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ofThales Netherlands “The crew of the ASW frigates will be able to rely on our ultramodern Above Water Warfare System that provides effective defence against current and future threats. Together with the German F126 ships, the Belgian and Dutch ASW frigates will use identical, advanced technology for their defence and protection of high-value objects.”
The whole task is a joint procedure with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, with several of the job to be accomplished by the Ministry itself.
Arnout Damen proceeds: “We have almost 150 years of knowledge, skill, and technology to coordinate and execute the design and construction of complex naval vessels. This is done not only in the Netherlands, but also at our yard in Romania, where the hulls will partly be constructed.”
These hulls after that pertain to Vlissingen for more conclusion, the setup and also assimilation of tool systems and also, eventually, appointing of the frigates for release to the Belgian and also Dutch navies.
The present Multipurpose frigates of the Karel Doorman Class were constructed from 1985 by Damen Naval (after that called Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde). Between 1991 and also 1995, 8 M-class frigates were provided, 6 of which were at some point marketed to various other nations, consisting of 2 toBelgium With completion of the life span of these ships visible, the Netherlands and also Belgium determined to collectively change the ships with these ASW frigates. The initial ship is anticipated to be provided in 2029.
