Holland class offshore patrol vessels

Class overview
Operators:  Royal Netherlands Navy
In commission: 2011-2013
Building: 4
Planned: 4
General characteristics
Type: Offshore patrol vessel
Displacement: approx. 3,750 tons full load
Length: 108.4 metres
Beam: 16 metres
Draught: 4.55 metres
Propulsion: 2x Wärtsilä 12V26 diesel engines
Speed: 21.5 kts
Range: 5000 nm @ 15 kts
Boats and landing
craft carried:
  • 1 x Fast Rescue Boat (FRB)
  • 2x Fast Raiding Interception and Special Forces Craft (FRISC)
Complement: 50 (+ additional space for 40)
Sensors and
processing systems:

Thales Sensor Integrated Mast,SeaMaster 400 air warning radar

SeaWatcher 100 active phased array surface detection and tracking radar. RNLN Combat system Guardion and Rohde & Schwarz / / EID's communication systems where on-board users have access to internal and/or external communication channels and integrated remote control of communications equipment.
Armament:
  • 1 x 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid (possible being fitted with Davide ammunition in the near future)
  • 1 x 30 mm Oto Melara Marlin WS
  • 2 x 12.7 mm Oto Melara Hitrole NT
  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2HB machine guns
  • 6 x 7.62mm FN MAG machine guns[1]
Aircraft carried: 1 x NH90 helicopter[1]
Aviation facilities: fully equipped hangar for one medium-sized helicopter

The Holland class Offshore Patrol Vessels are new patrol boats under construction for the Royal Netherlands Navy. They are designed to fulfil patrol and intervention tasks against lightly armed opponents, such as pirates and smugglers.

Contents

History

A contract between the Royal Dutch Navy and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in Vlissingen, the Netherlands was signed in 2007 for the construction of four vessels at a total cost of €467.8 million.[2]

The vessels resulted from the Dutch Ministry of Defence's Marinestudie.[3] The study proposes the sale of four existing Karel Doorman class frigates, and using the proceeds and savings of the sale to commission four dedicated patrol vessels, allow the building of a more capable Joint Support Ship to replace the AOR HNLMS Zuiderkruis, and reintroducing a mine-sweeping capability to the Dutch Navy.

The vessels are planned to be deployed to the Caribbean region and the North Sea.[2] They have the capability to carry out missions such as anti-piracy and blockade duties, and also can be used for emergency transport.[2]

Armament

The Holland Class' main armament is a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid gun with a firing rate of 120 rounds per minute and an effective range of 16 km.[2]

Secondary armament is provided by a 30mm Oto Melara Marlin WS, two 12.7mm Oto Melara Hitrole NTs and two 12.7mm M2HB machine guns.[2] All can be remotely operated.[2]

Sensor suite

The ships are able to monitor 140 nm using a Thales Integrated Sensor and Communication Systems (ISCS), comprising a SeaMaster 400 air warning radar, a Watcher 100 active phased-array surface detection and tracking radar, a mine detection sonar and an infra-red Gatekeeper/electro-optical (EO) warning system.[2] The sensor systems are housed in an integrated mast, also provided by Thales, called the I-Mast 400.[4] Thales also built the satellite communications system for the ships.[5]

Propulsion

The Holland class is fitted with a combined electric or diesel (CODELOD) propulsion system built by Wärtsilä.[2] It comprises two Wärtsilä 12V26 diesel rated at 5,400 kW each, combined with electric motors that drive a controllable pitch propeller through two shafts.[2] Electric operation is used mainly for low-speed operation.[2]

Specifications

Holland-class ships have a tonnage of 3,750 tons, are 108.4 metres (356 ft) in length, 16 metres (52 ft) in beam and have a draft of 4.55 metres (14.9 ft).[6] The ships have a speed of 21.5 knots and a range of 5000 nautical miles at 15 knots.[6] The ship's complement is 50 crew, as well as up to 40 people for duties such as helicopter or medical crew.[7]

Other characteristics

The ships are built to a design that is intended to reduce the ability of radar to detect them,[2] as well improving seakeeping by locating the superstructure unusually far aft.[7] The ships are painted a new light blue-gray color, which supposedly has a better camouflage-effect then the standard light-grey paint used by other RNN-ships. The ships also carry two rigid-hulled inflatable boats and an NH-90 helicopter.[2]

Ships in class

The projected number of ships for the class is four; they are planned to be commissioned between 2011 and 2013.[2] On December 20, 2007 the contract was signed for four ships at a cost of around €467.8 million.[2] The ships will be named after Dutch provinces of historical maritime importance.

Pennant number Ship Laid down[7] Launched[7] Commissioned[7]
P840 Holland 8 December 2008 2 February 2010 12 May 2011
P841 Zeeland 5 October 2009 20 November 2010 20 October 2011[8]
P842 Friesland 26 November 2009 4 November 2010 tbd
P843 Groningen 9 April 2010 21 April 2011 tbd

Holland (P840)

Holland was laid down on 8 December 2008, launched on 2 February 2010 and commissioned on 12 May 2011.[7] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen.[9]

Zeeland (P841)

Zeeland was laid down on 5 October 2009 and launched on 20 November 2010.[7] She began sea trials on 31 August 2011.[9] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen.[9] Zeeland was delivered on 20 October 2011, and is to enter service after final fitting out and the installation of her mast.[8]

Friesland (P842)

Friesland was laid down on 26 November 2009 and launched on 4 November 2010.[7] She began sea trials on 27 September 2011, and is scheduled for delivery in February 2012.[10] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Galați.[10]

Groningen (P843)

Groningen was laid down on 9 April 2010 and launched on 21 April 2011.[7] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Galați.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Oceangoing Patrol Vessel" (in Dutch). Navy Inside. http://www.navyinside.nl/opv.html. Retrieved 5 August 2008. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Holland Class Patrol Vessels, Netherlands". Naval-Technology.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/628y80Q0p. Retrieved 19 June 2011. 
  3. ^ "Marinestudie 2005" (in Dutch) (pdf). Dutch Ministry of Defence. http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2005/10/14/kamerbrief-marinestudie/kamerbrief-marinestudie-tcm46-114383.pdf. Retrieved 19 June 2011. 
  4. ^ "Integrated Mast". Thales. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/628spsssC. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  5. ^ "Royal Netherlands Navy Chooses Thales-Built Satcom Solution". Naval-Technology.com. 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/628t0shca. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  6. ^ a b "Holland Class Patrol Vessels, Netherlands". Naval-Technology.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/628w8bVOs. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Holland Class Patrol Vessels". Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding. http://damennaval.com/nl/company_product-range_holland-class-patrol-vessels.htm. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  8. ^ a b "The Royal Netherlands Navy Receives Second OPV Zeeland Built by Damen Schelde Naval". Shipbuilding Tribune. 24 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62gdwlPWh. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
  9. ^ a b c d "The Netherlands: Damen Schelde Naval Starts SAT for Patrol Vessel Zeeland". Shipbuilding Tribune. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/628zrm6Z8. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  10. ^ a b "Royal Netherlands Navy’s OPV Begins Sea Acceptance Trials". Shipbuilding Tribune. 28 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/6290IyXbi. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 

External links