Karel Doorman class Frigate M-Fregat Royal Netherlands Navy

Royal Netherlands Navy - Koninklijke Marine
Karel Doorman class Frigate
Multipurpose Frigate / M-Fregat

04/20

Ships:

F 827 HNLMS Karel Doorman (1991)
F 829 HNLMS Willem van der Zaan (1991)
F 830 HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes (1992)
F 831 HNLMS Van Amstel (1993)
F 832 HNLMS Abraham van der Hulst (1993)
F 833 HNLMS Van Nes (1994)
F 834 HNLMS Van Galen (1994)
F 828 HNLMS Van Speijk (1995)

Specifications:

Displacement: 3320 tons (full load)
Length: 122 meters (401 feet)
Beam: 14 meters (47 ft)
Draft: 6,1 meters (20 ft)
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h)
Range: 5000 NM (9260 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement: 154

Propulsion:
CODOG (Combined Diesel or Gas)
2 x Rolls Royce Spey SM1C gas turbines (16700 hp / 12.4 MW each)
2 x Stork-Wartsila 12SW280 diesel engines (4895 hp / 3.7 MW each)
2 shafts / 2 controllable pitch propellers (CPP)

Armament:

1 x Mk-48 Mod.1 Vertical Launching System / VLS (16 cells)
for
16 x RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Missile

2 x Mk-141 quad missile laucher for up to 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM

1 x Oto-Melara 76/62 DP Gun (3"/62-caliber)

1 x 30mm Thales SGE-30 Goalkeeper Close in Weapon System (CIWS)

2 x Mk-32 Mod.9 12.75" (324mm) twin Torpedo Tubes for Mk-46 Mod.5 Torpedoes

2-4 x M2 Browning 12.7mm (cal. 50) machine guns

Aviation:
flight deck and hangar for 1 helicopter
(Agusta-Westland SH-14D Lynx or NHIndustries NH-90 helicopter)

Systems:
Thales Smart-S Mk.1 long-range 3D survaillance and tracking radar
Thales LW08 long-range surveillance radar
Thales SeaWatcher 100 active phased array surface detection and tracking radar (NED and BEL ships only)
Thales GateKeeper Electro-optical 360° survaillance system (NED and BEL ships only)
Thales STIR 1.8 Tracking and Illumination Radar system
Thales Scout surface surveillance and tactical navigation radar
Thales PHS-36 Hull-mounted sonar
Thales Anaconda DSBV 61 VLF passive tactical towed array sonar
Ultra Electronics Multi-static Low Frequency Active Passive Sonar (NED ships only)
Thales Vigile APX Radar electronic support measures
Mark 36 SRBOC

Design:

In the 1970s, Dutch naval authorities deemed the Roofdier-class corvettes old, outdated, and therefore in need of replacement. This led to the construction of the Karel Doorman-class frigates in the mid 1980s after the Dutch navy had finalised the design and requirements for the frigates at the end of the 1970s and early 1980s.

The design of the M-frigates was made in-house at the Royal Netherlands Navy, in close collaboration with construction site De Schelde in Vlissingen and design agency Nevesbu. For the first time stealth techniques were used in the design, such as the sloping walls of the bridge section. Much attention was also paid to the care and facilities for the crew, with more privacy and improved comfort.

The Karel Doorman-class were designed as multi purpose frigates that could perform a wide range of missions. Their armament reflects this by incorporating many features, such as the ability to engage submarines, aircraft and surface vessels. Besides warfare the armaments can also be used to support anti-drug and piracy operations.

First amongst this class to be launched was HNLMS Karel Doorman. Laid down in February 1985 and launched in April 1988, it was commissioned by the Dutch navy in May 1991. Karel Doorman was followed by HNLMS Willem van der Zaan, HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes, HNLMS Van Amstel, HNLMS Abraham van der Hulst, HNLMS Van Nes, HNLMS Van Galen, and HNLMS Van Speijk. Even while the ships were still under construction, Dutch authorities tried, and ultimately failed, to negiotate purchase orders by interested foreign navies.

However, six decommissioned Karel Doorman-class frigates were bought by the Belgian, Chilean, and Portuguese navies, and the proceeds were subsequently invested in development of the Holland-class offshore patrol vessel.

Armament:
These multi-purpose frigates can be used in the anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, or surface combat roles. Their primary surface armament consists of two quad RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship launchers with a range of up to 120 kilometres (75 mi). Also available is an OTO Melara 76 mm gun, which has both anti-ship and anti-air capabilities.

Air defence is provided by an AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile with a range of up to 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) Sixteen VLS cells are mounted on the port external bulkhead of the hangar. The Goalkeeper close-in weapon system provides close-range air defence and can fire up to four thousand 30 millimetres (1.2 in) rounds per minute ata range of 200 to 3,000 metres (660 to 9,840 ft).

For anti submarine warfare, each ship is equipped with two twin torpedo launchers, firing Mark 46 torpedoes; and carries one Westland Lynx or NH90 NFH helicopter. The helicopter is also armed with 2 Mk 46 torpedoes, and carries dipping sonar and forward looking infrared systems.

Sale to foreign navies:
In 2004 two ships, Tjerk Hiddes and Abraham van der Hulst were sold to Chile and renamed Almirante Riveros (FF-18) and Blanco Encalada (FF-15) respectively. Blanco Encalada commissioned into the Chilean Navy on 16. December 2005, with Almirante Riveros to be commissioned in April 2007.

On 20 July 2005, the Belgian government decided to buy two of the remaining six Dutch M-class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the Wielingen-class frigate currently in service with the Belgian Naval Component, which in turn might be sold to Bulgaria. On 21. December 2005, Karel Doorman and Willem van der Zaan were sold to Belgium and renamed Leopold I (F930) and Louise-Marie (F931) respectively. They were recommissioned between 2007- 2008.

In May 2006, Portugal's National Defense Minister, Luís Amado, showed interest in buying two Karel Doorman class frigates to replace the two remaining frigates of the João Belo-class frigate in service with the Portuguese Navy - instead of buying two frigates of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, offered by the United States. A committee of the Portuguese government arrived in the Netherlands to evaluate the condition of two frigates to be bought.
On November 1, 2006, the Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Severiano Teixeira signed a contract for the purchase of the frigates Van Nes and Van Galen. Van Nes, renamed NRP Bartolomeu Dias (F333), was transferred to Portugal on January 16, 2009 and Van Galen, renamed NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida (F334) was transferred on January 15, 2010. With the sale of two M-class frigates to Portugal only two of the eight ships remain with the Dutch Navy.

Modernisation:
The Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgium Navy decided to upgrade the four frigates by rebuilding both hangar and helicopter deck for the NH-90 as well to replace the forward mast for fitting the new Thales SeaWatcher 100 phased array surface search radar and Gatekeeper electro-optical surveillance system. The first ship to receive the upgrade was HNLMS Van Speijk F828 in April 2012, next was BNS Leopold I F930, followed by HNLMS Van Amstel F831 and BNS Louise Marie F931 is currently undergoing the modernization. SMART-S 3D search radars will not be replaced by SMART-S MK2.

Seawatcher 100 is a non-rotating active phased array radar for naval surface surveillance. The system automatically detects and tracks asymmetric threats and very small objects such as swimmers and periscopes in all weather conditions. Seastar can also be used for helicopter guidance. Seastar is internationally marketed as Sea Watcher 100.

Gatekeeper is a 360-degree panoramic electro-optical surveillance and alerter system based on IR/TV technology. Designed to counter emerging asymmetric threats down to small boats and swimmers, Gatekeeper increases short-range situational awareness in littoral environments.

In 2018 the Portuguese Navy decided to modernize its two Karel Doorman class frigates (Mid-life update), the first frigate started modernization in 2018 and being completed by 2020, the second frigate will start modernizing in 2020 and will be completed by 2022.

Units:
F 827 HNLMS Karel Doorman - sold to Belgium > F 930 BNS Leopold I
F 828 HNLMS Van Speijk - in service RNLN
F 829 HNLMS Willem van der Zaan - sold to Belgium > F 931 BNS Louise-Marie
F 830 HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes - sold to Chile > FFG 18 CNS Almirante Riveros
F 831 HNLMS Van Amstel - in service RNLN
F 832 HNLMS Abraham van der Hulst - sold to Chile > FF 15 CNS Almirante Blanco Encalada
F 833 HNLMS Van Nes - sold to Portugal > F 333 NRP Bartolomeu Dias
F 834 HNLMS Van Galen - sold to Portugal > F 334 NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida

source: wikipedia

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