A new minehunter that has been purchased by the Belgian Navy arrived at the Zeebrugge naval base on Monday afternoon. Senior military officials and the Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist) were present to watch the vessel’s arrival at the West Flemish port.
The M940 is the first of twelve new mine hunter vessels that have been ordered by Belgium and the Netherlands to replace their outdated mine hunter fleet. 6 of the vessels are destined for the Belgian navy.
These 80-metre vessels are unique in that they can operate outside the danger zone by deploying drones to detect and destroy mines.
The commander of Belgium's naval mine warfare group Fanny Georges told journalists that "It's a big day for us". The new vessel has "all the modern technology and comforts expected of a professional navy".
Delayed delivery
The delivery of the first vessel was initially planned for the end of 2024 but was delayed due what is described as the "exceptional technological complexity". Furthermore, the minehunter also sustained damage during a test in May and this further delayed its delivery.
The contract to design and construct the minehunters was awarded to Belgium Naval & Robotics in 2019. The second of the ships is due to be delivered to the Dutch Navy next month. A the third vessel is expected to be delivered in September 2026.