Keel laid for Liège, newest minehunter of Belgian-Dutch rMCM program (Gallery)

The Belgian Navy has revealed that a keel-laying ceremony was held for the Liège, the newest mine countermeasure vessel being built under the Belgian-Dutch minehunter (rMCM) program.

As disclosed, the ceremony took place at the Giurgiu shipyard in Romania on January 15, 2025, marking a symbolic milestone for the Belgian Navy and the city of Liège.

Credit: Belgian Navy

Credit: Belgian Navy

Credit: Belgian Navy

Credit: Belgian Navy

Credit: Belgian Navy

The rMCM program is a binational project between Belgium and the Netherlands, that aims to replace the mine countermeasures capabilities of both navies.

A total of 12 ships will be built: six for the Belgian Navy and six for the Dutch Navy. All ships will be ready and operational around 2030.

The program was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, a consortium composed of Naval Group and Exail.

The structural phase for the construction of Liège will take place in Romania. The vessel will then be towed to Concarneau, France, where Naval Group will be responsible for finalizing the work.

The construction of a ship begins with what is known as the “first steel cut”, in which the first steel plates are cut and assembled to form blocks. The laying of the keel then takes place, a symbolic moment when a coin is welded to the keel for good luck.

The assembly of the hull consists of 27 blocks, including the bow, deck, engine rooms, work areas, and accommodation. During this phase, heavy machinery is also installed on board. Once the hull is ready, the vessel is launched, and the outfitting phase begins. This phase includes the installation of electrical cables, insulation, piping, painting, and the installation of other systems.

After completion, harbor acceptance trials (HAT) and sea acceptance trials (SAT) are conducted. Then, the integration of the weapons systems will take place in Lorient, France, the Belgian Navy revealed.

Around a hundred drones will be integrated inside a toolbox of the minehunters. These specialized mine warfare vessels are the first to have the capability to embark and launch or fly a combination of surface drones, underwater drones, and aerial drones. The 82.6-meter-long units will use a fully robotic system for the detection, classification and neutralization of mines.

With a displacement of 2,800 tonnes and a maximum speed of 15.3 knots, they can withstand underwater explosions and have very low acoustic, electrical, and magnetic signatures, in line with the missions to be carried out.

The keel for the first of the twelve mine countermeasure vessels of the Belgian-Dutch minehunter program was laid in 2021, while the ship was launched in March 2023.

The launching ceremony for Vlissingen, the second minehunter in this class, was held in October 2023, while Tournai, the third ship, was floated out in July last year.