The Netherlands said discussions with Belgium are ongoing about a delayed joint project to develop anti-submarine warfare frigates, amid reports the Belgian government is looking for a way out and is shopping for a European alternative that can replace its two aging existing frigates sooner.
Belgium must have replacements on time, according to the country’s Chief of Defence Gen. Frederik Vansina, Dutch news agency ANP reported on Wednesday. Vansina told ANP that Belgium does not want to dictate terms to the Netherlands, but cannot afford to be left without major naval vessels, with its frigates Leopold I and Louise-Marie at the end of their usable lives in 2030.
The frigate project led by Dutch shipbuilder Damen has been plagued by delays, many related to its design, which increased in size over time and had to be corrected due to structural stability issues. From an original expectation that the first vessel might enter service around 2025, the Dutch Ministry of Defense now expects the first new anti-submarine frigate to be delivered no earlier than 2033.
Belgium is looking whether, for example, Italian-built frigates could be delivered more quickly, and is in talks with the Netherlands about interim solutions, such as Damen delivering a small frigate as a temporary stop-gap measure, ANP reported, citing Vansina. The general said the fact that Belgium has approached other frigate builders “is not abnormal and certainly not unfriendly.”
“It’s paramount for Belgium to maintain that operational capability,” Vansina told ANP. “The only naval firepower we have are those frigates.”
by Defense News – Dutch say ASW frigate talks ongoing amid reports Belgium may quit project
