The Belgian Navy’s M941 Tournai, the second Belgian vessel delivered under the Belgian-Dutch replacement program for mine countermeasures vessels, has arrived in Zeebrugge.
The vessel is the third ship delivered under the rMCM program, following the Belgian M940 Oostende and Dutch M840, and is scheduled for an official transfer of ownership from the Belgium Naval & Robotics (BNR) consortium to the Belgian State on September 25.
The first ship, Oostende, was christened in July this year.
The rMCM program is intended to replace Belgium and the Netherlands’ existing mine countermeasures fleets with a capability combining dedicated vessels and autonomous systems.
The Tournai is a City-class vessel designed around a stand-off mine warfare concept. Rather than sending the ship directly into mined areas, autonomous surface vessels, underwater drones and aerial systems can conduct mine detection and neutralization operations while the mothership and crew remain at a safer distance.
The new capability is intended to address both legacy and emerging maritime mine threats. Belgium said unexploded ordnance from past conflicts continues to be found at sea, with a World War I mine containing about 150 kilograms of explosives neutralized in the North Sea on September 17.
The Belgian and Dutch navies are now working through the integration, testing, training and qualification required before the full capability becomes operational.
“The Tournai is more than a new ship. It represents a new step in the development of an integrated mine countermeasures capability, bringing together vessels, autonomous systems and highly trained military personnel. As this new capability gradually takes shape, the Navy is also investing in the training and recruitment of the people who will operate and maintain it in the years to come," Admiral Tanguy Botman, Commander of the Belgian Navy, said.
The rMCM program was awarded in 2019 to Belgium Naval & Robotics, the consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail. Belgium and the Netherlands are jointly acquiring twelve City-class ships, six for each navy. This program brings together Belgian, Dutch, and French expertise to develop a new generation of mine warfare capabilities.
"The delivery of the second minhunter Tournai, joining the Belgian Navy, marks an important milestone of the Belgian-Dutch mine countermeasures vessel (rMCM) replacement program. We are honoured of the trust placed in our products and know-how. This delivery is the result of collaborative work between French, Belgian, and Dutch teams, who are fully committed to the delivery of the next ships. Naval Group and the BNR consortium thank the Directorate General of Defence Material Resources for their trust in the realization of this programme," Marie-Aline Widenlocher, Mine Warfare Programs Director, Naval Group, commented.
The arrival of the Tournai adds another vessel to the gradually expanding Belgian-Dutch mine warfare force, with the two countries developing the capability around the combined use of crewed ships and autonomous systems.