Belgian-Dutch rMCM Initiative: Naval Group Sets Sail with First Mine Countermeasure Vessel Keel Laying

On November 30, 2021, Naval Group commenced the assembly of the first of twelve mine countermeasure vessels for the Belgian-Dutch rMCM initiative, designated for Belgium. The keel laying ceremony occurred in Concarneau, attended by the Belgian Chief of Defence, Admiral Michel Hofman, and the Dutch Chief of Defence, General Onno Eichelsheim.

This initiative was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, a consortium created by Naval Group and ECA Group, following an international tender. It entails the provision of twelve mine countermeasure vessels and approximately one hundred drones, integrated within a toolbox that will equip the vessels for the Belgian Navy and the Royal Dutch Navy.

Kership, a collaboration between Naval Group and Piriou, manages the fabrication of the twelve vessels, which are assembled in Concarneau and armed at sea by Piriou. Naval Group serves as the primary contractor and overall architect, overseeing design, integration, and testing of the mission systems (combat and mine countermeasure systems). ECA Group, acting as co-contractor, is responsible for the unmanned drone systems, produced in their Ostend workshop in Belgium. Maintenance of the vessels will be conducted in Belgium, closely coordinated between the Belgian Navy and Naval Group Belgium, with support from partner Flanders Ship Repair.

The initial delivery is anticipated for late 2024 in Zeebrugge, Belgium, with subsequent deliveries scheduled until 2030.

Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, stated, “We are thrilled to be here in Concarneau for this significant milestone, marking the keel laying of the first mine countermeasure vessel. This program exemplifies European collaboration between Belgium and the Netherlands, and Naval Group is honored to be involved. It also signifies a robust industrial alliance and a commitment to competitiveness between Naval Group and ECA Group. Our teams will persist in their dedicated efforts to produce these state-of-the-art vessels, designed specifically for mine warfare and perfectly aligned with the operational needs of the Belgian and Dutch navies.”

Dominique Giannoni, CEO of ECA Group, remarked, “ECA Group is delighted to attend this ceremony alongside our partner Naval Group. All ECA Group teams are dedicated to ensuring the success of this highly innovative initiative: it aims for an unprecedented degree of automation in mine warfare operations, with the coordinated deployment of underwater, surface, and aerial drones. Collaborating closely with Naval Group teams, we are engineering an integrated and optimized system to fulfill the expectations of our Belgian and Dutch clients.”

“In the realm of mine warfare, the concept of distancing threats from crew members is not revolutionary,” announced Admiral Hofman, the Belgian Chief of Defence. “According to the 2015 NATO Maritime Operations study, the key limitations of shipborne systems were sluggish operations, inadequate mine differentiation, failure to detect concealed and drifting mines, self-defense capabilities, and the ease of global platform deployment. It was already evident that conventional platforms were inadequate to tackle these challenges. This led us to seek a dependable partner to initiate this significant transformation in mine warfare.”

CPF BAM Claude Bultot, program head, noted, “The Belgian and Royal Netherlands Navy can take pride in this innovative and (r)evolutionary mine countermeasures replacement program. This program aims to set international standards in this field.”

His Dutch counterpart, Captain (E) Sander van Luik, added, “This initiative is an excellent example of enhancing European defense efficiency. By establishing a common set of requirements as a foundation, Belgium and the Netherlands can rapidly implement an innovative concept. Agreeing on core principles beforehand allows us to avoid disputes over every intricate design detail, enhancing our flexibility and adaptability. Consequently, our binational team has worked more effectively, drawing on the combined expertise of both nations, collaborating with Belgium Naval & Robotics to create a new capability that can address the operational challenges of the forthcoming decades.”

These specialized mine warfare vessels are the first to be equipped to carry and deploy a mix of surface drones (12-meter, 20-ton vessels), underwater drones, and aerial drones. The mine countermeasure ships will utilize a fully automated system for detecting, classifying, and neutralizing mines. They are designed to withstand underwater blasts and possess minimal acoustic, electrical, and magnetic signatures, aligning with their intended missions.

The characteristics of these mine countermeasure vessels include:

• Length: 82.6m
• Width: 17m
• Displacement: 2800t
• Maximum speed: 15.3 knots
• Range: >3500 nautical miles
• Crew capacity: 63 personnel
• Drone capabilities: ECA Group’s UMISOFT System, 2 unmanned surface vehicles (ECA Group’s Inspector 125), 3 autonomous underwater vehicles (A-18 with ECA Group’s UMISAS 120 sonar), 2 towed sonars (T-18 with ECA Group’s UMISAS 240 sonar), 2 Mine Identification & Destruction Systems (MIDS) (ECA Group’s Seascan and K-Ster C), 2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UMS Skeldar’s V200), 1 ECA Group influence dredger integrating 5 CTM magnetic modules and 1 PATRIA acoustic module.
• Embarkation capability: 2 SOLAS rigid hull inflatable boats of 7m.
• Handling features: 2 side gantries with floating cradle for surface drones and commando boats, a 15t rear crane, and a 3t overhead crane.