The Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium composed of French companies Naval Group and ECA Group has joined forces with Belgium’s Flanders Ship Repair with the aim of securing work on the Dutch-Belgian minehunter replacement program.
Belgium Belgium Naval & Robotics has launched an industrial offer anchored in Belgium to respond to a call for tenders issued by the Belgian and Dutch navies for the supply of twelve mine hunters.
Belgium Naval & Robotics offers the Belgian Navy a solution whose prime contractor is in Brussels and involves many local players spread throughout the country.
Flanders Ship Repair (FSR) shipyards will be responsible for the manufacture of many mechanical parts and sub-assemblies, as well as the maintenance of mine hunting vessels (MCMs). “When Naval Group and ECA Group presented me with their industrial project to replace mine hunters, I obviously accepted because I found the approach innovative and very pragmatic, but above all Belgium oriented,” Johnny Hofman, CEO of FSR said.
Through the Belgium Naval & Robotics brand, Naval Group and ECA Group are offering a proven robotic mine warfare solution which is fully integrated into a drone carrier naval ship. “Moreover, this brand reflects our solution, whose industrial seeds will be planted in Belgium and which will generate numerous opportunities for Belgian industry in the field of mine warfare,” Guénaël Guillerme, CEO of ECA Group, commented.
Belgium will be in charge of acquiring a total of 12 minehunters, six for the Belgian and six for the Netherlands Navy. The project will include a range of unmanned systems including unmanned surface, aerial and underwater vehicles alongside towed sonars and mine identification and neutralization ROVs.