Belgium and Netherlands sign contract to purchase twelve mine hunters.

On Friday, July 5 in Brussels, Belgium and the Netherlands signed the contract for the joint purchase of twelve new-generation mine hunters. Naval Group & Eca-Robotics Sasu, the two French companies that have won this contract of around 1.1 billion euros for each country, will ensure a significant share of the production in Belgium. The contract of more than two billion euros spans on ten years.

The French consortium formed by Naval Group & ECA Robotics has won the tender for the replacement of minehunters in the Belgian and Dutch navies (six for Belgium, six for The Netherlands) (Picture source: Naval Group)

This signing ceremony of the Common Replacement of Mine Counter Measure Capability (MCMC) involved Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Didier Reynders, the Dutch Secretary of State for Defense, Barbara Visser, and both French directors of the Naval Group & Eca-Robotics Sasu consortium, Hervé Guillou and Guénaël Guillerme. It is this French consortium that has obtained, through its joint venture under Belgian law, Belgium Naval & Robotics (BNR), the contract for the supply of the 12 mine-hunter ships equipped with their drone systems to the Belgian and Dutch navies. These new vessels will constitute references at the international level.

Equipped with a total of about 100 "tools" (drones), constituting a dozen systems, six ships are intended for the Belgian navy and six for the Dutch navy. After a design phase, BNR will launch the production phase of ships and drone systems, with a first delivery expected in 2023. Belgium Naval & Robotics will carry out a significant part of the contract in Belgium, including the production of certain ship equipment and of all the naval drones.

Ship maintenance will be carried out in Zeebrugge, in partnership with Flanders Ship Repair (FSR). The maintenance of the naval drones will also be carried out in Zeebrugge. Belgium carried out this program for the benefit of the two navies, the Netherlands taking charge of the construction of four frigates, two for the Belgian navy and two for the Dutch navy.

Brussels, July 5, 2019. Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Didier Reynders, and Dutch Secretary of State for Defense, Barbara Visser, sign the contract for the replacement of mine hunters in the Belgian and Dutch navies (Picture source: Belgian MoD)