Launching of the first mine countermeasures vessel in the rMCM programme

On 29 March 2023, the first of the twelve mine countermeasures vessels in the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme, the M940 Oostende for the Belgian Navy, was launched in Concarneau. The ceremony was attended by Ludivine Dedonder, Belgian Minister of Defence, Kaisa Ollongren, Dutch Minister of Defence and Patricia Mirallès, Secretary of State for Veterans and Remembrance. The third ship in the programme, the M941 Tournai, was launched on the same day.

For the record, this programme was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail, and provides for the supply to the Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy of twelve mine countermeasures vessels and around a hundred drones integrated into a toolbox, which will equip the vessels. Kership is the industrial prime contractor

Photo credit Naval Group

Share on your social media!