Kongsberg to equip Damen's new ASW Frigates for Netherlands & Belgium.

According to a PR published by Kongsberg Maritime on April 18, 2024, the firm has been awarded a contract to provide advanced propeller systems for Damen Naval's forthcoming series of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates. This marks the second instance within the last 18 months where the two companies have joined forces.
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Artist rendering of the future Anti Submarine Warfare frigates. (Picture source: Kongsberg)

Under the terms of the contract, Kongsberg Maritime will deliver four shipsets of its sophisticated controllable pitch propeller systems along with essential components like shaft lines, blades, hubcaps, and hubs. These frigates, destined for the navies of the Netherlands and Belgium, aim to succeed the currently serving Karel Doorman-class multi-purpose frigates by 2028.

The forthcoming vessels will be tasked with a variety of operational duties, primarily focusing on anti-submarine warfare. To achieve this, the frigates will feature a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system designed to operate with minimal noise, enhancing their stealth capabilities in sub-surface operations.

Björn ten Eicken, Vice President – Naval at Kongsberg Maritime, emphasized the customized nature of the propulsion systems, designed to meet stringent operational demands, especially in reducing noise signatures critical for ASW tasks.

Technical data

The frigates have a displacement of 6,400 tonnes and measure 145 meters in length with a beam of 18 meters. They can accommodate a crew of up to 117 personnel, with additional space for 34 more. The vessels are equipped with advanced sensor and processing systems, including the Thales APAR block 2.0 X-band multifunctional radar, Thales SM400 block 2 S-band multifunctional radar, and Thales PHAROS Multi Target Tracking Radar.

For armament, the frigates are armed with a variety of missile systems, including eight NSM missiles and a 16-cell Mk 41 vertical launching system that supports RIM-162 ESSM missiles with quad-packs per cell, plus a RAM RIM-116 launcher with 21 missiles.

They also feature torpedo capabilities with the Torpedo system, Mk-54 LWT. The ships' artillery includes one OTO Melara 76 mm gun with DART ammunition, two 40mm Oto Marlin guns, and several medium and light machine guns. In terms of aircraft capabilities, each frigate can carry one NH90 helicopter and one UAV.