First Dutch Mine Countermeasures Vessel of Netherlands-Belgium Program Enters Testing Phase

The Vlissingen, the second mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) of the Belgian-Dutch rMCM program and the first intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy, has started its first sea trials off Concarneau, France.

The trials, which began on March 27, 2025, will assess the vessel’s propulsion, maneuverability, and overall performance before its scheduled delivery at the end of 2025.

The sea trials will be conducted in multiple phases to evaluate the Vlissingen’s operational capabilities. The first phase focuses on fundamental assessments, including propulsion efficiency and maneuverability. Subsequent trials will test onboard systems, mission equipment, and autonomous mine countermeasure technologies. The ship will be delivered to the Royal Netherlands Navy after completing all necessary evaluations.

The Vlissingen is part of a larger contract signed in 2019 under the rMCM program, which involves the construction of 12 vessels—six for the Belgian Navy and six for the Royal Netherlands Navy. These ships are designed to replace aging mine warfare fleets and are scheduled for delivery by 2030.

The Oostende, the first vessel of the rMCM program and intended for the Belgian Navy, is currently undergoing combat system trials at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard, with delivery expected in mid-2025. The Tournai, the third vessel in the program and second for the Belgian Navy, is set to begin sea trials in late summer 2025. Meanwhile, the Scheveningen, the second Royal Netherlands Navy vessel, was launched in November 2024 and will follow the same testing and commissioning process.

The rMCM program is managed by Belgium Naval & Robotics, a consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail. The ships are designed and built by Kership, a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou, with additional construction work carried out at Chantier Piriou. Exail is responsible for integrating the drone mission systems, which will be produced and maintained at its subsidiary in Ostend, Belgium.

The new MCMVs are designed with a cyber-secure architecture and incorporate advanced unmanned technologies for mine detection, classification, identification, and disposal. These vessels can deploy a mix of autonomous surface, underwater, and aerial drones, significantly accelerating mine clearance operations compared to traditional methods. Equipped with Exail’s UMISOFT software suite, each vessel carries two unmanned surface vehicles (Exail Inspector 125), three autonomous underwater vehicles (A-18 with UMISAS 120 sonar), two towed sonars (T-18 with UMISAS 240 sonar), two Mine Identification & Disposal Systems (Exail Seascan and K-Ster C), two unmanned aerial vehicles (UMS Skeldar V-200), and one influence mine sweeping system (Exail influence system with five CTM magnetic modules and one PATRIA acoustic module). The vessels are designed to withstand underwater explosions and feature low acoustic, electrical, and magnetic signatures to enhance survivability during mine countermeasure operations.

The Vlissingen has a length of 82.6 meters, a width of 17 meters, and a displacement of 2,800 tons. It can reach a maximum speed of 15.3 knots and has an operational range exceeding 3,500 nautical miles. The crew consists of 63 personnel, with a base crew of 33. The vessel is equipped with two SOLAS rigid hull inflatable boats, two side launch and recovery systems for surface drones or commando boats, a 15-ton dedicated rear crane, and a three-ton overhead crane for handling mission equipment.