City-class mine countermeasures vessel

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]

Artist impression of the MCM
Class overview
NameCity class
Builders
Operators
Preceded by
Subclasses
  • City class
  • Vlissingen class
Built2021
In commissionFrom 2024 onwards
Planned12
Building1
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)
Complement29 - 63
Armament

Design and development

Contenders
  • 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]

Selection

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

Construction

A first steel cutting ceremony for the first-in-class ship was held on 19 July 2021. Delivery of the first ship to the Belgian Navy is anticipated in 2024 and to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 2025.[5]

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.[6]

City class construction data
Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
M 940 Oostende Piriou, Concarneau, France 30 November 2021 [7] Planned 2024 Under construction [8]
M 941 Tournai Planned 2026
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
Vlissingen Kership, Lorient, France Planned 2025 Under construction [9]
Scheveningen Planned 2026
Ijmuiden Planned 2027
Harlingen Planned 2028
Delfzijl Planned 2028
Schiedam Planned 2030

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. "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. 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. "First Steel Cutting Ceremony For Dutch-Belgian MCM Program". Naval News. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  6. 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.
  7. "Bouw mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig Vlissingen begonnen". Marineschepen. 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  8. "Eerste staal Belgische en Nederlandse mijnenbestrijders gesneden in Polen". Marineschepen. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  9. "Bouw mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuig Vlissingen begonnen". Marineschepen. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
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