Artist impression of the MCM
Class overview
NameCity class
Builders
Operators
Preceded by
Subclasses
  • City class
  • Vlissingen class
Built2021
In commissionFrom 2024 onwards
Planned12
Building3
General characteristics
TypeMine countermeasures vessel
Displacement2,800 t (2,800 long tons) full load
Length82.30 m (270 ft 0 in)
Beam17 m (55 ft 9 in)
Draught3.80 m (12 ft 6 in)
Speed15.3 knots (28.3 km/h; 17.6 mph)
Complement33–63
Sensors and
processing systems		list error: <br /> list (help)
Naval Surveillance Radar Scanter-6000

2 towed sonars (T-18 equipped with Exail UMISAS 240 sonar)
2 Mine Identification & Disposal Systems (MIDS)
1 Exail influence mine sweeping system integrating 5 CTM magnetic modules

1 PATRIA acoustic module
Armament
Aircraft carried1 unmanned aerial vessel (UMS Skeldar’s V200)
Notes2 unmanned surface vehicles (Exail Inspector 125), 3 autonomous underwater vehicles (A-18 equipped with Exail UMISAS 120 sonar)

The Netherlands and Belgium are doing a joint procurement for the replacements of the Tripartite-class/Alkmaar-class minehunters. Both countries want to procure six new mine countermeasure (MCM) vessels, which makes for a total of 12 MCM ships. The new MCM ships will include a range of unmanned systems including unmanned surface, aerial and underwater vehicles alongside towed sonars and mine identification and neutralization ROVs.[1]

Design and development

In the spring of 2018, the Belgian and Dutch Navy signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the joint construction and financing of the ships. A list of requirements was drawn up for the new vessels. Contenders in the race were:

  • The Franco-Belgium consortium made up of French shipbuilders STX France and Socarenam together with Belgium's EDR are bidding for the 12 new MCM vessels. Their plan includes the construction of MCM vessels named Sea Naval Solutions and a multi-role frigate named Deviceseas, which will serve as mothership to the MCM vessels. All ships will have a strong focus on autonomous systems operations.[2]
  • France's Naval Group and ECA Group established Belgian subsidiary Naval & Robotics and bid for the program.[3][4]
  • Imtech Belgium and Damen Group bid for the program.[3][4]

The contract was won by Naval Group on 15 March 2019.[3][4]

The new vessels take a new approach to their task. Instead of clearing mines directly from the ship, the ship uses unmanned systems to do this from a distance.[5]

Construction

A first steel cutting ceremony for the first-in-class ship for the Belgian Navy was held on 19 July 2021, with the keel being laid on 30 November, 2021. Delivery of the first ship to the Belgian Navy is anticipated in 2024 and to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 2025.[6] The first ship for the Dutch Navy started on the 4 March, 2022, with a steel cutting ceremony. The keel was laid on 14 June, 2022.

Ships in class

Belgium

Belgium gave the green-light to start the procurement on 26 January 2018 and approved a budget of 1.1 billion euros for the six Belgian MCM ships. Besides the Tripartite-class minehunters, the ships will also replace the Belgian logistical support ship Godetia.[7]

City class construction data
Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
M 940 Oostende Piriou, Concarneau, France 30 November 2021[8] 29 March 2023[9] Planned 2024 Fitting out[10]
M 941 Tournai 29 March 2023[9] Planned 2026 Under construction
M 942 Brugge Planned 2026
M 943 Liège Planned 2027
M 944 Antwerpen Planned 2028
M 945 Rochefort Planned 2029

Netherlands

Vlissingen class construction data
Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
M 840 Vlissingen Kership, Lorient, France 14 June 2022[11] Planned 2025 Under construction[12]
M 841 Scheveningen Giurgiu shipyard, Giurgiu, Romania (Hull)
Kership, Lorient, France (Fitting out)		 19 July 2023[13] Planned 2026 Under construction
M 842 IJmuiden Planned 2027
M 843 Harlingen Planned 2028
M 844 Delfzijl Planned 2028
M 845 Schiedam Planned 2030

Potential operators

  • France - At Euronaval 2022 a partnership was signed between the Belgian, Dutch and French navies to enhance cooperation between them. As a result the French Navy will order six variant ships based on the City class, via their SLAM-F program in 2023.[14][15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Belgium OKs acquisition of six new mine countermeasure vessels". navaltoday.com. 29 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "STX France, EDR, Socarenam team for Belgian mine countermeasure project". navaltoday.com. 31 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "France's Naval Group clinches Belgian-Dutch minehunter replacement contract". Naval Today. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Scott, Richard (15 March 2019). "Naval Group team selected for BE/NL MCM programme". Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Defensie, Ministerie van (2021-11-30). "Mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen krijgen naam havenplaatsen - Nieuwsbericht - Defensie.nl". www.defensie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  6. ↑ "First Steel Cutting Ceremony For Dutch-Belgian MCM Program". Naval News. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  7. ↑ Karremann, Jaime (27 January 2018). "Groen licht voor aanschaf zes nieuwe mijnenjagers voor België" [Green light for the purchase of six new mine hunters for Belgium]. marineschepen.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Eerste kiel nieuwe mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen voor Nederland en België gelegd". Marineschepen. 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  9. 1 2 "Tewaterlating nieuw Belgisch mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig in Frankrijk, bouw volgend Nederlands schip in Roemenië". Marineschepen. 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  10. ↑ "Eerste staal Belgische en Nederlandse mijnenbestrijders gesneden in Polen". Marineschepen. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  11. ↑ "Kiel van nieuw mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig Vlissingen gelegd - eerste van nieuwe klasse". Marineschepen. 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  12. ↑ "Bouw mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig Vlissingen begonnen". Marineschepen. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  13. ↑ Koninklijke Marine [@kon_marine] (July 19, 2023). "De bouw van het toekomstige mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig Zr.Ms. Scheveningen is gestart" (Tweet) (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  14. ↑ "Frankrijk wil (bijna) zelfde mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen als Nederland en België" (in Dutch). Marineschepen. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  15. ↑ "Mine Warfare: France, Belgium And Netherlands Seal Partnership". Naval News. 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
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