Belgium launches Tournai: 3rd Mine Countermeasure Vessel in Belgian-Dutch rMCM program.

According to a PR published by Naval Group n July 2, 2024, the Tournai, the third mine countermeasure vessel in the Belgian-Dutch rMCM program, was launched in Concarneau. The ship was launched by Kership, the program's industrial prime contractor, on behalf of Naval Group, the overall prime contractor.
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Third City-class mine countermeasure vessel Tournai. (Picture source: Naval Group)

The Tournai, destined for the Belgian Navy, is the second vessel for Belgium and the third in the series. The first ship, the Oostende, was launched on March 29, 2023, and the second, the Vlissingen, intended for the Royal Netherlands Navy, was launched on October 19, 2023. The fourth vessel, Scheveningen, will be launched in December 2024 for the Dutch Navy.

The rMCM program, awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics—a consortium of Naval Group and Exail—aims to supply twelve mine countermeasure vessels and about a hundred drones to the Belgian and Dutch navies. The program exemplifies European defense cooperation, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2023 allowing France to use the design for six ships for its navy. Thales will manage the onboard UAV system for France.

Naval Group oversees the design, integration, and commissioning of the mission systems, while Kership constructs the ships in Concarneau and Lanester. Exail handles the UAV mission system, primarily produced in Ostend, Belgium. Maintenance will be a collaborative effort between the Belgian Navy and Naval Group Belgium, with Flanders Ship Repair in Zeebrugge.

These mine warfare vessels feature surface drones, underwater drones, and aerial drones for comprehensive mine countermeasures. The vessels are designed to withstand underwater explosions and have minimal acoustic, electrical, and magnetic signatures.

The Tournai and its sister ships, measuring 82.6 meters in length and 17 meters in width, are equipped with a UMISOFT Exail system, including surface drones, autonomous underwater vehicles, towed sonars, mine identification and destruction systems, aerial drones, and an influence dredger. They can accommodate 63 personnel and have a range of over 3500 nautical miles. Handling equipment includes side gantries, a stern crane, and an overhead crane.