Oostende, the first new mine-countermeasures vessel destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint Belgian/Netherlands rMCM programme, started initial sea trials on 17 July. (Naval Group)
The first of 12 new mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) being built under the Belgian/Netherlands (BE/NL) joint replacement MCM (rMCM) programme has started initial sea trials, Naval Group has confirmed.
The future Oostende (M 940), which is destined for the Belgian Navy, was put to sea for the first time off the coast of Concarneau on 17 July.
Announcing the milestone on 18 July, Naval Group said the initial trials will focus on the performance of the propulsion and navigation systems.
Oostende was laid down at Piriou's shipyard in Concarneau in November 2021 and launched on 29 March 2023. Following the completion of its sea acceptance test programme, the first of class is planned to be delivered to the Belgian Navy in August 2025. Subsequent ships will be delivered at approximately six-month intervals, alternating between each of the two navies.
Building on a long history of collaboration between Belgium and the Netherlands, the Belgian-led rMCM programme aims to replace the Tripartite-class minehunters operated by the two countries' navies for the past 30 years with a next-generation ‘stand-off' MCM capability.
Belgium Naval and Robotics is delivering the rMCM programme under a EUR2 billion (USD2.18 billion) contract awarded by the Belgian Ministry of Defence in 2019. The 10-year contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) plus 10 accompanying MCM toolboxes, totalling around 100 unmanned/autonomous systems drawn from Exail's UMIS offboard MCM suite.
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