The four ASW frigates will replace the current Karel Doorman-class multi-purpose frigates. They will be deployed for a wide variety of tasks, with anti-submarine warfare as their main purpose. The ships will have hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and will be designed to operate as quietly as possible.
This is the second collaboration between Damen Naval and Kongsberg Maritime in the past 18 months. It follows a similar contract signed by the companies in September 2022 for the German navy’s F126 frigates.
“It is great news to have Kongsberg Maritime involved in the ASW- frigate project as well,” says Damen Naval Director Corporate Strategy and Innovation Richard Keulen. “We have a long-standing relationship with the company, and it is a good example of the excellent co-operation that exists between the Dutch and Swedish naval shipbuilding industries.”
Kongsberg Maritime’s Vice President – Naval Björn ten Eicken adds: “Kongsberg Maritime is proud to have been selected as a partner for this significant Damen Naval frigate programme. The propulsion system for the new frigates has been optimised to match the customers’ strict mission requirements, particularly for noise signature, which is a crucial factor in anti-submarine warfare operations.”
The ASW-frigate project is being carried out in close cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Defence, with some of the work to be carried out by the MoD itself. The hulls will be built in Romania and then come to Vlissingen for further completion. Damen Naval is expected to deliver the first ship in 2028.
