HNLMS Karel Doorman (F827)
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HNLMS Karel Doorman (F827) is the first ship of the Karel Doorman class of multi-purpose frigates (also known as "M-fregat" class). She is the third ship in the Royal Netherlands Navy to be named after admiral Karel Doorman, who was killed during the battle of the Java Sea.
Karel Doorman was laid down on 26 February 1985, launched on 20 April 1988 and commissioned on 31 May 1991.
She took part in anti-drug operations in the Caribbean together with the U.S. Navy, was part of the UN operations in the Adriatic Sea during the conflicts in the former republics of Yugoslavia, as well as various NATO exercises.
[edit] Sale to Belgium
On 20 July 2005, the Belgian government decided to buy two of the remaining six Dutch M-class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the Wielingen class (Wielingen and Westdiep) currently in service with the Belgian Navy. On 21 December 2005, Karel Doorman and Willem van der Zaan were sold to Belgium and renamed Leopold I (F930) and Louise-Marie (F931) respectively. They will be recommissioned between 2007- 2008.
See HNLMS Karel Doorman for other ships of this name.
