Oostende Belgian Navy Naval Group Kership Belgian Naval and Robotics
The Belgian Navy City-class mine countermeasures vessel OostendeBelgian Navy

Four other countries express interest in French-built mine countermeasures ships

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The governments of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have begun individual discussions with French defence shipbuilder the Naval Group regarding the possible acquisition of mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels based on the 82-metre rMCM ships being developed for the navies of Belgium and the Netherlands.

The four countries, especially Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, have expressed interest in expanding their respective navies' MCM capabilities in nearby waters such as within the Baltic Sea.

Unlike earlier MCM vessels, the 12-strong rMCM ships slated for the Belgian and Royal Netherlands Navies will operate primarily as motherships utilising smaller unmanned systems for mine detection and neutralisation.

This approach will ensure greater safety, as the unmanned craft can perform MCM operations over great distances and without placing human crews at risk.

The Naval Group, as overall architect and prime contractor, is responsible for the design of the rMCM ships, the overall integration, and the testing and commissioning of the mission system, which will include the combat system and the mine countermeasures system.

Kership, the joint venture formed by French shipbuilder Piriou and the Naval Group, is in charge of the production of the ships.

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