Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.

Naval Group launched the Belgian Navy's first new mine countermeasures vessel, named Oostende (M 940), at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March. (Naval Group)

French shipbuilder Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine-countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) on order for the Belgian and Netherlands (BE/NL) navies and laid the keel for the third ship during a ceremony at Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, France, on 29 March.

First-of-class Oostende (M 940) and third ship Tournai (M 941) are the first two ships of the new City class that are destined for the Belgian Navy under the joint BE/NL next-generation offboard MCM replacement (rMCM) programme.

The Belgian-led rMCM programme is being delivered by Belgium Naval & Robotics – a consortium of Naval Group and Exail (formerly ECA Group) – under a contract awarded in May 2019. The contract includes the supply of 12 2,800-tonne displacement mother ships (six for each navy) and an MCM ‘toolbox' totalling around 100 unmanned or autonomous systems that will equip the vessels.