2023-06-22 13:36:22
Belgium and the Netherlands formalized the joint purchase of four new frigates on Thursday afternoon in the port of Antwerp. Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder and her Dutch counterpart Kajsa Ollongren have signed an agreement to this effect.
It was on board the Dutch frigate De Ruyter in the port of Antwerp that the two ministers signed this memorandum. The Netherlands thus obtained official authorization from Belgium to conclude the contract for the construction of four new frigates: two for each navy.
The new agreement mentions an increased cost for this purchase: 2 billion euros for Belgium, more than estimated in 2018. Inflation is taken into account as well as Ludivine Dedonder’s decision to fully equip weapons and sensor ships.
In view of this increase in costs, the Netherlands has committed to strengthening industrial cooperation with Belgium in the years to come. Thus, the Netherlands will place orders worth 355 million euros with Belgian industry.
The new frigates will be of the ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) type, specializing in submarine warfare. They will also be able to counter air and maritime threats. The frigates will serve for about 40 years. The new ships are to replace the current M-class (for Multi-purpose) frigates. These were put into service in the 1990s.
The construction of the frigates, led by the Netherlands, is part of the cooperation between Belgium and the Netherlands for the replacement of their fleets. Belgium will then oversee the replacement of minehunters with a new series of 12 mine countermeasures vessels, six for each navy.
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