New name for M-frigates replacement

The Netherlands and Belgium will replace their M-frigates (multipurpose) together in the coming years. Four frigates of a new class will be available for this purpose: two for each country. The name of this new class has just been disclosed: Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate (ASWF). Thales will equip these ships with its AWWS (Above Water Warfare System), as a robust defence against air and surface threats.

The detection and combat of submarines will be the main task of the ASWF. The frigates will be equipped to deal with future threats. The ships will also been extensively automated, to be able to fully operate with a limited basic crew.

Next level defence

The AWWS has been developed by Thales and DMO (Defence Materiel Organization). It consists of a combination of intelligent software and a new generation of sensors. Together, they continuously monitor and decide which methods are best suited to tackle each threat, so that the chance of survival is maximized. Of course, the crew always remains in control.

The next level fire control system has the latest radar technology from Thales to detect and track all threats, including the new generation digital dual band X/S radar, a combination of the Active Phased Array Radar (APAR) and the Sea Master 400 radar. The smart combination and far-reaching integration of these systems saves valuable time in the decision-making chain and delivers the best performance.

Completion 2030

The replacement process for the M-frigates goes through the so-called A, B and D phases. In 2018, the A-letter with the requirement was sent to the House of Representatives. The B-letter about the study phase was delivered in 2020. There is now formal permission to continue with the acquisition preparation (the D-phase). The Netherlands, in close consultation with Belgium, is in charge of the replacement process. The Defence Materiel Organization will realize the acquisition with the Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgian colleagues. The first of the four ASW frigates should be available in 2030.