Artist impression of the MCM |
| Class overview |
|---|
| Name |
- City class (Belgium)
- Vlissingen class (Netherlands)
|
| Builders | |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | |
| Cost | €166.67 million per unit |
| Built | Since November 2021 |
| In commission | Planned from August 2025 |
| Planned | 12 |
| Building | 6 |
| Completed | 0 |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Type | Mine countermeasures vessel |
| Displacement | 2,800 t (2,800 long tons) full load |
| Length | 82.30 m (270 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 17 m (55 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 3.80 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power | 32 MW (43,000 hp) |
| Propulsion |
- CODLAD:
- 1 × ABC 12VDZC diesel generator
- 2 × ABC 6DZC diesel generators
- 2 × MEP electric motors (1,800 kW each)
- Propellers:
- 2 × Wärtsila axles with fixed pitch screws
- 2 × Wärtsila transverse bow thrusters
- 1 × Wärtsila transverse stern thruster
|
| Speed | 15.3 knots (28.3 km/h; 17.6 mph) |
| Complement | 33 to 63 |
Sensors &
processing systems |
- Systems
- Combat system: Naval Group Polaris system
- Drone management system and data analysis: UMISOFT suite
- Naval Group Multi-Drone Mission System (MDMS)
- Containerized Command and Control Centre with the Mine Warfare System (MWS)
- Sonars:
- Bow sonar: iXblue FLS 60
- Towed sonar:ECA T18-M
- Autonomous drone with sonar for mine detection: ECA A18-M AUV (equipped with Exail UMISAS 120 sonar)
- Radars:
- Naval surveillance radar: Terma Scanter 6000
- Target tracking radar: Thales NS50 AESA
- Electro-optical sensors:
- 2 × Sea Eagle FCEO stabilised cameras (HD and infrared) with laser rangefinder, (by Chess Dynamics)
- Communications:
- Saab TactiCall ICS communication suite
- Navigation
- iXblue inertial navigation system
- Underwater drones:
- ECA Seascan MK2 (identifying mine)
- ECA K-STER C (disabling mines)'
- Patria Sonac ACS - Acoustic Minesweeping Systems drone
- Electronics for the drones by ST Engineering iDirect Belgium, a subcontractor of Exail
|
| Armament |
- Guns:
- Non-lethal weapons:
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × UMS Skeldar V-200 unmanned aerial vehicles |
| Notes |
- Surface boats:
- 2 × 7 m SOLAS Viking RHIB
- 1 × ECA Inspector 125 unmanned vessel which deploys the drones equipped with an Exail FLS-5 sonar)
- 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.
