Holland-class ocean-going patrol vessels

HNLMS Holland (Min. of Defence)
Class overview
Operators:  Royal Netherlands Navy
Cost: €467.8m (project)
~US$150m/ship
In commission: 2012-present
Completed: 4
Active: 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 MAN 12V28/33D diesel engines (5460KW each)
Speed:21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph)
Range:5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance:21 days[1]
Boats and landing
craft carried:
  • 1 x Fast Rescue Boat (FRB)
  • 2x Fast Raiding Interception and Special Forces Craft (FRISC)
Complement:54 (+ additional space for 40)
Sensors and
processing systems:		Thales Integrated Mast
  • SeaMaster 400 SMILE non-rotating air warning radar
  • SeaWatcher 100 active phased array surface detection and tracking radar
  • GateKeeper Electro-optical 360° surveillance system
Armament:Guns:
Aircraft carried:1 x NH90 helicopter[2]
Aviation facilities:fully equipped hangar and flight deck for one medium-sized helicopter

The Holland-class offshore patrol vessels are new oceanic patrol vessels for the Royal Netherlands Navy. They are designed to fulfill patrol and intervention tasks against lightly armed opponents, such as pirates and smugglers, but much higher level electronic and radar surveillance roles with great capabilities for military stabilisation and security roles, short of outright war. With no sonar or long range weapons they utilise, the surveillance capabilities of the plug in modular, thales integrated mast which integrates communication systems and two 4 faced phased arrays for air and surface search[3] advanced as those of the combat systems of many USN combatants.

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.[4]

The vessels resulted from the Dutch Ministry of Defence's Marinestudie.[5] 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 designed for global use, in particular to be deployed to the Caribbean region, the South China Sea and the North Sea.[4] They have the capability to carry out missions such as anti-piracy and blockade duties, and also can be used for emergency transport.[4] They are constructed with heavier mild steel and armour ,[6] which results in a more robust ship of greater weight, than the previous M class frigates

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.[4]

Secondary armament is provided by a 30mm Oto Melara Marlin WS rapid cannon, two 12.7mm Oto Melara Hitrole NT's and two 12.7mm M2HB machine guns.[4] All can be remotely operated.[4]

Sensor suite

The ships are able to monitor to 250 km range air, missile and UAV targets and 70 km range surface targets [7] 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, claimed to be able to detect small objects such as mines and periscopes on the sea surface at 40 km range,[8] link 11 & 16 data links [9] a mine detection sonar and an infra-red Gatekeeper/electro-optical (EO) warning system.[4] The sensor systems are housed in an integrated mast, also provided by Thales, called the I-Mast 400.[10] Thales also built the satellite communications system for the ships.[11]

Propulsion

The Holland class is fitted with a combined electric or diesel (CODELOD) propulsion system.[4] It comprises two MAN 12V28/33D diesel rated at 5,460 kW each, combined with electric motors that drive a controllable-pitch propeller through two shafts.[4] Electric operation is used mainly for low-speed operation.[4]

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).[12] The ships have a speed of 21.5 knots and a range of 5000 nautical miles at 15 knots.[12] The ship's complement is 52 crew, as well as up to 39 people for duties such as helicopter or medical crew.[13]

Other characteristics

The ships are built to a design that is intended to reduce the ability of radar to detect them,[4] as well improving seakeeping by locating the superstructure unusually far aft.[13] The ships are painted a new light blue-gray color, which supposedly has a better camouflage-effect than the standard light-grey paint used by other RNLN-ships. The ships have a hangar and flightdeck for an NH-90 helicopter[4] and also carry two Fast Raiding Interception Special forces Craft (FRISC), with a speed of more than 40 knots.

Beside these special forces crafts, the Holland class has an improved internal communication infrastructure and is more resistant to the use of resources, which are characteristic for asymmetric warfare.

Ships in class

The projected number of ships for the class is four; they are planned to be commissioned between 2011 and 2013.[4] On December 20, 2007 the contract was signed for four ships at a cost of around €467.8 million.[4] The ships will be named after Dutch provinces of historical maritime importance.

Pennant number Ship Laid down[13] Launched[13] Commissioned[13]
P840 Holland 8 December 2008 2 February 2010 6 July 2012
P841 Zeeland 5 October 2009 20 November 2010 23 August 2013
P842 Friesland 26 November 2009 4 November 2010 22 January 2013
P843 Groningen 9 April 2010 21 April 2011 29 November 2013

Holland (P840)

Holland was laid down on 8 December 2008, launched on 2 February 2010 and commissioned on 12 May 2011.[13] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen.[14] On 16 November 2011 she was the first ship in her class to receive the Thales Integrated Mast IM-400. The ship entered service during the 2012 Dutch navy days in Den Helder.

Zeeland (P841)

Zeeland was laid down on 5 October 2009 and launched on 20 November 2010.[13] She began sea trials on 31 August 2011.[14] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen.[14] Zeeland was delivered on 20 October 2011, and received her sensormast in December 2012. To enter service after final fitting out and finishing trials.[15] The Zeeland was commissioned on 23 August 2013 at Vlissingen.

Friesland (P842)

Friesland was laid down on 26 November 2009 and launched on 4 November 2010.[13] She began sea trials on 27 September 2011, and she was delivered to the Defense Material Organisation (DMO) on 11 April 2012.[16] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Galați.[16] On 26 April 2012, she assisted in the rescue of a sail training vessel off Iona while participating in an international exercise.[17]

Groningen

Groningen (P843)

Groningen was laid down on 9 April 2010 and launched on 21 April 2011.[13] She was built at the Damen Schelde shipyard in Galați.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/03/holland-class-opvs-will-need-change.html
  2. ↑ "Oceangoing Patrol Vessel" (in Dutch). Navy Inside. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  3. ↑ C. Waters. Modern European Offshore Patrol Vessels in Warship 2013, Conway ,London (2013),p88-92
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 "Holland Class Patrol Vessels, Netherlands". Naval-Technology.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  5. ↑ "Marinestudie 2005" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  6. ↑ Information Dissemination. Holland Class OPVs. The intersection of Maritime Strategy & Strategic Communications
  7. ↑ SeaMaster 400. Thalesgroup. Hengeio. Netherlands
  8. ↑ SeaWatcher 100. Thalesgroup. Hengeio. Netherlands
  9. ↑ .C. Waters. Modern European Offshore Patrol vessels. Warship 2013, p91,
  10. ↑ "Integrated Mast". Thales. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "Royal Netherlands Navy Chooses Thales-Built Satcom Solution". Naval-Technology.com. 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Holland Class Patrol Vessels, Netherlands". Naval-Technology.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 "Holland Class Patrol Vessels". Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 "The Netherlands: Damen Schelde Naval Starts SAT for Patrol Vessel Zeeland". Shipbuilding Tribune. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  15. ↑ "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. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Royal Netherlands Navy’s OPV Begins Sea Acceptance Trials". Shipbuilding Tribune. 28 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "Tobermory lifeboat and Dutch warship rescue sail training vessel". BBC. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.

External links

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