French Navy goes Belgian-Dutch for new minehunting motherships
France is procuring new MCMVs based on the design of those ordered by the Belgian and Dutch navies. (Photo: Belgium Naval & Robotics)
France is capitalising on Naval Group’s work for the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme for its own mine countermeasure vessel needs.
France has decided to build new mine warfare vessels based on the design being built for the Belgian and Dutch navies under their joint rMCM programme.
The French Navy will procure the ships in 2023 under its SLAM-F programme. The delivery date for the vessels remains under discussion. The Belgian and Dutch Navies will begin accepting deliveries of new MCMVs in 2024.
The decision is a no-brainer for the French as the vessels for its two European neighbours are already being built by Naval Group-Piriou joint venture Kership in Concarneau, France.
The three nations signed the mine warfare agreement
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes]()
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
![Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule]()
Australia commissions HMAS Arafura three-and-a-half years behind schedule
The Royal Australian Navy has finally commissioned the first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel – more than three years behind schedule – highlighting the programme’s delays, design compromises and ongoing industrial restructuring.
-
![Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates]()
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
