The Belgian Navy has received its first City-class mine countermeasures vessel, the Oostende (M940), at the Zeebrugge Naval Base in Bruges.
The delivery marks a major milestone in Belgium’s naval modernization under the 2019 Belgian-Dutch Replacement Mine Countermeasure (rMCM) program, a joint effort with the Netherlands to build 12 ships, six for each nation, through the 2030s.
A City vessel uses a “stand-off” design that allows it to find and destroy sea mines without entering danger zones.
It relies on a mix of surface, underwater, and aerial drones that can locate and neutralize explosives remotely, reducing risks for the crew.
Upon integration, the warships will fill the gaps of decommissioned Tripartite-class and Alkmaar-class minehunters in service within Brussels’ and Amsterdam’s militaries since the 1980s.
‘First Step’
The Oostende was originally scheduled for handover in 2024 but faced delays due to technical challenges and minor damage sustained during earlier testing.
Crew training will begin soon, initially focusing on navigation before introducing drone operations once the mission systems are transferred later this month.
The second vessel, the Vlissingen (M840), is set for delivery to the Royal Netherlands Navy in February 2026 following additional sea trials. The first batch of unmanned systems for both navies is expected by the end of November 2025.
“The arrival of the Oostende in Zeebrugge marks the first step in our transition to a new generation of mine countermeasures: safer, more efficient, and better suited to the maritime challenges of tomorrow,” said Divisional Adm. Tanguy Botman, commander of the Belgian Navy.
“The Oostende is a fine example of international cooperation: built within the [Belgian-Dutch Cooperation Accord] and serving as a cornerstone of the European [Permanent Structured Cooperation] program.”
The Belgian-Dutch City rMCM
Belgium and the Netherlands’ City-class minehunter is 82 meters (269 feet) in length and can accommodate more than 60 personnel.
The vessel is equipped with three diesel generators and twin electric motors for a top speed of 15 knots (28 kilometers/17 miles per hour) and a range of more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 kilometers/4,028 miles).
In addition to multi-domain drones, the ship will utilize dredgers, cranes, inflatable hull boats, identification/destruction systems, and acoustic modules to support its primary mine countermeasures capability.
For combat, the platform is armed with a naval gun system, heavy machine guns, general-purpose machine guns, water cannons, and long-range sound-based defenses.
The rMCM program is managed by Belgium Naval & Robotics, a partnership between France’s Naval Group and Exail.
Naval Group oversees ship construction, while Exail supplies the autonomous drone systems built in Belgium.
