City-class mine countermeasures vessel

Artist impression of the MCM
Class overview
Name
  • City class (Belgium)
  • Vlissingen class (Netherlands)
Builders
Operators
Preceded by
Cost€166.67 million per unit[note 1]
BuiltSince November 2021[2]
In commissionPlanned from August 2025[3]
Planned12
Building6
Completed0
General characteristics [4]
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)
Installed power32 MW (43,000 hp)
Propulsion
  • CODLAD:[4]
    • 1 × ABC 12VDZC diesel generator[5]
    • 2 × ABC 6DZC diesel generators[5]
    • 2 × MEP electric motors (1,800 kW each)
  • Propellers:[4]
    • 2 × Wärtsila axles with fixed pitch screws
    • 2 × Wärtsila transverse bow thrusters
    • 1 × Wärtsila transverse stern thruster
Speed15.3 knots (28.3 km/h; 17.6 mph)
Complement33 to 63
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Systems[6]
    • Combat system: Naval Group Polaris system[7]
    • Drone management system and data analysis: UMISOFT suite[1][8]
    • Naval Group Multi-Drone Mission System (MDMS)[9]
    • Containerized Command and Control Centre with the Mine Warfare System (MWS)[8]
  • Sonars:
    • Bow sonar: iXblue [fr] FLS 60[10]
    • Towed sonar:ECA T18-M[4]
    • Autonomous drone with sonar for mine detection: ECA A18-M AUV (equipped with Exail UMISAS 120 sonar)[4][8]
  • Radars:
    • Naval surveillance radar: Terma Scanter 6000[11]
    • Target tracking radar: Thales NS50 AESA[1]
  • Electro-optical sensors:
    • 2 × Sea Eagle FCEO stabilised cameras (HD and infrared) with laser rangefinder, (by Chess Dynamics)[12]
  • Communications:
    • Saab TactiCall ICS communication suite[9][13]
  • Navigation
    • iXblue inertial navigation system[10]
  • Underwater drones:
    • ECA Seascan MK2 (identifying mine)[4][8]
    • ECA K-STER C (disabling mines)'[4][8][14]
    • Patria Sonac ACS - Acoustic Minesweeping Systems drone[15]
    • Electronics for the drones by ST Engineering iDirect Belgium, a subcontractor of Exail[16]
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × UMS Skeldar V-200 unmanned aerial vehicles[4]
Notes
  • Surface boats:
    • 2 × 7 m SOLAS Viking RHIB[4]
    • 1 × ECA Inspector 125 unmanned vessel which deploys the drones[18] equipped with an Exail FLS-5 sonar[9])
  • Others:
    • Exail influence dragger with five integrated CTM magnetic modules
    • 1 × overhead crane
    • 1 × stern crane

The Netherlands and Belgium are doing a joint procurement for the replacements of the Tripartite-class/Alkmaar-class minehunters. Each of the two countries is procuring six new mine countermeasure (MCM) vessels, which makes for a total of 12 MCM ships. The new MCM ships, developed by Naval Group, will include a range of unmanned systems including unmanned surface, aerial and underwater vehicles alongside towed sonars and mine identification and neutralization remotely operated vehicles.[19]

  1. ^ a b c "Mine Countermeasure Vessels". 5 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Eerste kiel nieuwe mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen voor Nederland en België gelegd". Marineschepen. 2021-11-30. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  3. ^ Gain, Nathan (2024-05-13). "Belgian-Dutch rMCM mine warfare program facing delays". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "City- en Vlissingenklasse mijnenbestrijdingsvaartuigen (België en Nederland)". Marineschepen. 2024-10-11. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  5. ^ a b "ABC selected for the new Belgian and Dutch Navy Mine Counter Measures Vessel Programme (MCMV)". abc-engines. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  6. ^ . exail https://www.exail.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/exailbrochuremine-countermeasuresweb.pdf. Retrieved 2024-11-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ "Naval Group launches the first mine countermeasure vessel of the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme and lays the keel for the third one". exail. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Belgian & Royal Netherlands Navies prepare to receive robotic autonomous systems in 3rd generation MCM programme". exail. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  9. ^ a b c "Euronaval 2024 – Naval Group and Exail partnership presents its unmanned MCM toolbox and mothership solution". edrmagazine. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  10. ^ a b "Belgium Naval & Robotics selects iXblue for the forefront sonars and inertial navigation system for 12 mine countermeasures vessels of the Belgium and The Royal Netherlands Navies". naval-group. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  11. ^ "Terma SCANTER 6000 radar selected for MCM program". terma. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  12. ^ "High probability of Dutch radar on new mine countermeasures vessels". marineschepen. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  13. ^ "Saab TactiCall communication system gets aboard Belgian-Dutch MCM program". navalnews. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  14. ^ "NATO awards Exail Robotics Belgium a €60 million contract for underwater mine disposal vehicles". exail. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  15. ^ "Patria to deliver Acoustic Minesweeping Systems to the Belgian and Royal Netherlands navies in collaboration with Belgium Naval & Robotics". patriagroup. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  16. ^ "Exail Selects ST Engineering iDirects Manufacturing Competence Center as Strategic Partner for Belgian-Dutch Navy Program". stengg. 2024-10-12. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  17. ^ "BAE Systems 40Mk4 Naval Guns Selected For Belgian And Dutch RMCM Program", Naval News, 2021
  18. ^ "The Belgian and Royal Netherlands navies choose ECA GROUP's USV INSPECTOR 125 to show the path of stand-off mine clearance at sea". ecagroup. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  19. ^ "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.


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